WALES

Departmental Public Participation

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on  (a) written consultations,  (b) consultation roadshows and  (c) stakeholder focus groups in each of the last three years.

Paul Murphy: In the last three years, my Department has held two written consultations. The first consultation in 2005, on the Better Governance of Wales White Paper, was completed at a cost of £11,880.38. For the second consultation run in 2007, relating to the Government's 2007 Draft Legislative Programme, the cost to my office was £69.
	My office has not held any consultation road shows or stakeholder focus groups in the last three years.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Orders and Regulations

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) statutory instruments and  (b) statutory rules of Northern Ireland have been (i) made and (ii) revoked by his Department since 1997.

Shaun Woodward: Since 1997 the Northern Ireland Office has made:
	199 Orders in Council;
	155 UK statutory instruments which apply exclusively or primarily to Northern Ireland; and
	5,702 statutory rules.
	These figures include Orders in Council, statutory instruments and statutory rules made on behalf of the Northern Ireland Departments during periods of Direct Rule.
	The information sought in respect of the statutory instruments and rules which have been revoked by the Department is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

PRIME MINISTER

Legislation

Mark Harper: To ask the Prime Minister whether he discussed his Government's draft legislative programme with Tony Blair.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave at my monthly press conference on 15 May 2008. A transcript is available on the No. 10 website:
	http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page15580.asp
	and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Consultants

Greg Clark: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what payments the Disability Rights Commission made to  (a) Politics International Ltd,  (b) Hanover Communications and  (c) Positif Politics Ltd in each of the last five years; and on what date and for what purpose the payment was made in each case.

Barbara Follett: The Disability Rights Commission has made the following payments:
	 (a) Politics Internationalpaid £1,410.00 on 24 July 2006 for a Politics International Course for a member of staff.
	 (b) Hanover Communicationsno payments made.
	 (c) Positif Politics Ltd.paid £587.50 on 24 May 2007 for information services in respect of the Welsh Assembly Election 2007.

Departmental Manpower

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many staff working for the Government Equalities Office are based at 5th Floor, Eland House, Bressenden Place.

Barbara Follett: The Government Equalities Office has 82 staff. Of these 74 are based on the fifth floor in Eland House and eight Private Office and press staff work alongside the two GEO Ministers in Cabinet Office accommodation in Whitehall and in offices in Parliament.

Departmental Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the cost was of overnight accommodation for  (a) civil servants,  (b) special advisers and  (c) Ministers in the Government Equalities Office staying overnight in (i) mainland Great Britain, (ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) the Republic of Ireland and (iv) other countries in the last 12 months.

Barbara Follett: Since its establishment as a separate Department on 12 October 2007 the Government Equalities Office has spent £7,256 on overnight accommodation for civil servants, special advisers and Ministers, in Great Britain and overseas. Of this some £90 is attributable to overnight accommodation for the Minister's special adviser and some £100 to the Minister, both costs being incurred on GEO business in Edinburgh.

Equality

Mark Harper: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality pursuant to the answer of 30 April 2008,  Official Report, column 423W, on equality legislation, what assessment she has made of the consultation process's compliance with Cabinet Office guidelines on consultation, with particular regard to the publication of responses; and if she will make a statement.

Barbara Follett: The formal Government response to the consultation including a summary of the responses received is being drawn up for publication in compliance with the Cabinet Office guidelines.

Females: Marriage

Mark Harper: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality pursuant to the answer of 29 April 2008,  Official Report, column 262W, on females: marriage, if she will make an assessment of the financial effect on women of changing their surname on marriage, with particular reference to charges for amending official documents.

Barbara Follett: The Government Equalities Office currently does not have plans to assess the financial cost of women changing their surnames on marriage.

Karian and Box

Greg Hands: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the value was of each contract awarded by the Government Equalities Office to Karian and Box since its establishment.

Barbara Follett: Since its establishment, the Government Equalities Office has not awarded any contracts to Karian and Box.

OLYMPICS

London 2012: Manpower

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many  (a) men and  (b) women are employed by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, broken down by pay band.

Tessa Jowell: Diversity and equality were key components of the bid for London 2012. Although it is a private company which funds itself from sales of sponsorship, merchandise, ticketing and broadcasting rights, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) nevertheless recognises its high-profile position within the overall London 2012 project. It has implemented a strong diversity and inclusion policy on its recruitment and retention of staff and volunteers that covers gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion and age. Five of the 11 members of LOCOG's Management Committee, as published on its website, are women.
	LOCOG will shortly publish its Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and will send a copy of this to the House of Commons Library. LOCOG will regularly monitor and report on its performance against the Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Olympic Delivery Authority: Manpower

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many  (a) men and  (b) women are employed by the Olympic Delivery Authority, broken down by pay band.

Tessa Jowell: As of 30 April 2008, the Olympic Delivery Authority is employing 195 members of staff. This consists of permanent staff, fixed term contract staff, and secondments. The breakdown against salary bands is as follows:
	
		
			  Band  Role  Number  Female  Male 
			 NA CEO 1 0 1 
			 5 Directors 7 1 6 
			 4 Heads of Function 28 9 19 
			 3 Managers/Technical Professionals 79 22 57 
			 2 Executives/Officers 32 20 12 
			 1 Projects/Administrative Support 47 40 7 
			 Total  194 92 102

Olympic Games 2012: Contracts

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps have been taken to award 2012 London Olympic Games contracts to companies outside London.

Tessa Jowell: The London 2012 Business Network has been established to spread opportunities in the London 2012 supply chains to businesses across the country. CompeteFor is a key component of this matching buyers with suppliers, and throughout this process businesses are signposted to business support services. The ODA has visited every nation and region of the UK to engage businesses in the opportunities generated by the Games. The opportunities are there, the network is in place, so as MPs we should do everything we can to ensure businesses in our constituencies sign up and get the support they need to win contracts.
	This is not the only way in which the nations and regions of the UK can benefit economically from the Games. There will be business generated outside of the London 2012 supply chains, such as in the tourism and transport industries. The Games also give us the opportunity to develop our inward investment and export potential.

Olympic Games 2012: Wales

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many Welsh companies or organisations have bid unsuccessfully for contracts through the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 1 May 2008
	Two Welsh businesses that responded to invitations to tender for contracts above the Official Journal of the European Union threshold (according to EU legislation, all contracts from the public sector which are valued above a certain threshold must be published in the Official Journal of the European Union) have not been awarded contracts.

Olympic Games 2012: Wales

Dai Davies: To ask the Minister for the Olympics pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Northampton North of 12 May 2008,  Official Report, column 1345W, on contracts: companies outside London, how many and what proportion of the contracts awarded were awarded to companies in  (a) Wales and  (b) Gwent.

Tessa Jowell: To date, three contracts have been awarded to businesses and organisations registered in Wales; this represents less than 1 per cent. of the total. Of these, one contract has been awarded to the Office of National Statistics, registered in Gwent. The other two contracts were awarded to John Evans Photography and Strategy and Solution Limited, both registered in south Glamorgan, It is still very early days with the vast majority of supply chain contracts to be awarded, so there will be plenty of opportunities for Welsh businesses to get involved.
	The London 2012 Business Network has been established to spread opportunities in the London 2012 supply chains to businesses across the country, opening up supply chains like no other Games before. The opportunities are there, we have the network in place, so as MPs we should do everything we can to ensure businesses in our constituencies sign up and get the support they need to win contracts.

Olympic Games: China

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many  (a) Ministers,  (b) Government officials,  (c) Olympics Delivery Agency staff and  (d) London Organising Committee of Olympic Games members and staff will attend all, or part, of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games; and at what cost.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 15 May 2008
	I will attend all of the Olympic Games. Four Ministers will attend for a part of the Games: the Prime Minister; the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; the Minister for Sport and the Minister for Trade and Investment.
	The number of Government officials attending has not yet been finalised, but they will include a private secretary and press officer support to the Ministers. There will also be a small number of officials who will be working to represent UK interests in Beijing, for example through trade opportunities and other events and six officials taking part in the official Olympic Observer Programme to learn lessons for staging the 2012 London Olympic Games. This will be the only opportunity to learn lessons from another summer Olympics before London 2012.
	About 17 Olympic Delivery Authority staff are expected to attend. They will aim to learn important operational and logistical lessons to feed into planning for London 2012.
	Full costs are not yet known for these visitsdetails are still being determined. We are working to ensure the best possible price.
	There will be no cost to the public purse for London Organising Committee staff attending the Games. Numbers have not yet been finalised, but a significant proportion of LOCOG staff will attend. They will be seconded to the Beijing Organising Committee for about three months; will take part in the official Observer Programme; will take part in the closing ceremony; or will work in the media and operations centre. Again, this will be their last opportunity to learn from a summer Olympics before London 2012.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 7th May 2008,  Official Report, column 831W, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, whether armed forces personnel and Departmental staff are inspected for unauthorised items before departing from theatre.

Des Browne: Armed forces personnel and civilian staff employed by the Ministry of Defence are inspected for unauthorised items by Royal Military Police before departing from operational theatres.

Air Force: Military Aid

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Royal Air Force last conducted humanitarian air drop operations; and in what circumstances.

Bob Ainsworth: The last time that the RAF, jointly with the Army, conducted dedicated humanitarian air drops was in April 1991 in Iraq.

Air Force: Military Aid

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Royal Air Forces capability is to conduct humanitarian air drop operations; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Humanitarian air drops are conducted jointly by the Royal Air Force providing the aircraft and the Army loading the aircraft and delivering the load.

Air Force: Military Aid

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) 463L pallets and  (b) other pallets used for airdrop operations, the Royal Air Force had in its inventory in each year since 2001, broken down by type.

Bob Ainsworth: Unlike commercial airlines, which use pallets, the Royal Air Force uses baseboards to load airdrop goods. Records for the number of baseboards held by the Royal Air Force for each year since 2001 are not held centrally.
	Currently, we have 207 baseboards in store and it is estimated that there are in the order of 200 baseboards in use.

Armed Forces: Pay

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the procedure is for paying service personnel  (a) posted overseas,  (b) on active service and  (c) in the UK.

Derek Twigg: All service personnel are paid to their nominated bank accounts through the joint personnel administration (JPA) system whether posted within the UK, overseas or on operations. Recruits provide their bank details on arrival at their initial training or reservists units and payments to banks normally commence within three months of enlistment. Thereafter, it is the responsibility of the individual service person to maintain their bank details on the JPA system, including initiating, through their human resource administration staff, payments to overseas bank accounts, when posted overseas. The JPA system also has the capacity to make payments by payable order and for unit administration staff, when required, to make payments in cash.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the  (a) target,  (b) actual and  (c) shortfall percentage against target of recruiting of each pinch point trade was in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what the outflow  (a) rate and  (b) number of each pinch point trade was in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 May 2008,  Official Report, columns 1704-8W.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the funding announced for stage 1 of the Future Rapid Effect System will affect funding available for future purchases of mine-protected vehicles.

Bob Ainsworth: The MOD has recognised that there is an urgent need to address the risks faced by our soldiers on current operations. To address this need we are implementing a range of measures including the introduction of protected mobility equipment such as Mastiff, which has proved its value on operations, offering high levels of protection against mines and roadside bombs.
	The procurement of protected mobility equipment is managed and funded entirely separately from the Future Rapid Effect System programme and will therefore not be affected.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what mine protection features the Piranha V vehicle will have;
	(2)  what additional capability will be afforded to the Army with phase 1 of the Future Rapid Effect System;
	(3)  whether the Piranha V will be designed to allow damaged parts to be unbolted and replaced after an explosive strike.

Bob Ainsworth: The Piranha V vehicle hull is shaped to offer protection from the mine blast and the underside of the vehicle is reinforced with appliqué armour to offer additional protection to the crew.
	Phase 1 of FRES, which I have interpreted as the utility vehicle (UV), will deliver a fleet of wheeled medium weight armoured vehicles with higher levels of deployability and survivability than our current in service lighter armoured vehicles can achieve, with the potential to grow its capability as new technology becomes available. The UV fleet will cover the protected mobility, command and control, medical, repair and recovery and driver training roles. Other elements of the utility fleet to be delivered in later planned increments include specialist communications, electronic warfare and sensor vehicles.
	The FRES utility vehicle will be designed for a modular armour solution. This will allow damaged sections to be unbolted and replaced.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what types of warfare the Future Rapid Effect System medium weight capability will be suitable.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1402W, which details the type of warfare for which the FRES medium weight capability will be suitable.

Departmental Empty Property

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many empty properties his Department owns, broken down by  (a) region and  (b) constituency.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) keeps its estate of around 240,000 under continual review to ensure that it is no larger than is required for defence purposes. Details of all MOD properties that are currently void (not in use for their intended purpose) are not centrally available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Void stock includes properties being held for planned moves of Service Units, sale or release, modernisation or demolition.
	Records are held of void Service Family Accommodation properties (SFA) in Great Britain (GB). The majority of SFA in England and Wales are owned by Annington Homes Ltd and leased to this Department until we no longer require them.
	It is a key departmental priority to reduce the number of voids and work is in hand to do this. Since March 2007, the number of void SFA properties worldwide has reduced from 13,338 to some 12,240.
	Although records of void SFA are not held by constituency, they are listed by local parish. I have placed the list of void properties by local parish in the Library of the House.

Departmental Orders and Regulations

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many statutory instruments have been  (a) made and  (b) revoked by Ministers in his Department since 1997.

Derek Twigg: No information is held for statutory instruments made by MOD Ministers in 1997 and only partial details are held for 1998. However, records show that 154 such statutory instruments have been registered since 1997.
	The information requested about the number of instruments which have been revoked in the period could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many weapons caches have been found in  (a) Basra,  (b) Maysan,  (c) Dhi Qar and  (d) Al Muthanna in each year since 2003.

Des Browne: Data on weapons cache finds have only been recorded since 1 January 2004. The number of weapons cache finds by Multi National Forces in Basra, Maysan, Dhi Qar and Al Muthanna in each year since 2004 are as follows:
	
		
			  Finds of  weapons caches  Al Muthanna  Basra  Dhi Qar  Maysaan  Grand  t otal 
			 2004 6 64 76 18 16 
			 2005 5 46 50 27 128 
			 2006 4 44 23 4 75 
			 2007 1 15 2 4 22 
			 2008 0 9 3 0 12 
		
	
	In addition, some 150 weapons caches were discovered in Basrah during April 2008(1) as part of the ongoing operations in the City led by the Iraqi Security Forces.
	(1)( )Up to 16 April 2008.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the anti-insurgency strategies being employed by British and United States forces in Iraq.

Des Browne: The coalitions strategy is to transfer security responsibility to the Iraqis so that they can take the lead in defeating the main threats to security and stability. Our assessment, reflected in the recent testimony given by Ambassador Crocker and General Petraeus to the US Congress, is that the strategy is working and significant progress has been made across Iraq in improving security, including in Basra as a result of the recent Iraqi-led operation Charge of the Knights. Coalition forces continue to provide support to the Government of Iraq and their security forces as they seek to extend and consolidate security and underpin it with political and economic progress.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many interpreters his Department employs in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan; and how much they cost in the latest period for which figures are available.

Des Browne: We currently employ 108 interpreters in Iraq and 316 interpreters in Afghanistan. The total cost paid to cover salary and overtime for April 2008 was around £92,510 in Iraq and around £175,840 in Afghanistan.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Mesopotamia Group has requested rotary wing air escort since the start of the ISAF Contracted Air Transport contract.

Des Browne: Mesopotamia Group has not requested rotary wing air escort since the start of the ISAF Contracted Air Transport contract.

Military Aid

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what material handling equipment is available to his Department for humanitarian airdrop operations.

Bob Ainsworth: Should an aircraft carry out a humanitarian airdrop, the necessary resources, including material handling equipment, are available to complete the task.

Reserve Forces

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of participants in trips and functions under the SaBRE campaign came from  (a) small,  (b) medium and  (c) large businesses in the last period for which figures are available.

Bob Ainsworth: Under its Employers Abroad scheme, SaBRE (Supporting Britains Reservists and Employers) arranges for employers of reservists, and other influential business and commercial figures, to visit their employees who are mobilised and serving on operations in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Available records, for the period from January 2006 to May 2008, show that places available to employers on UK briefing visits and Employers Abroad visits were allocated as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 Small employers (1-49 employees) 5 
			 Medium employers (50-249 employees) 9 
			 Large employers (250 plus employees) 86 
		
	
	The Large employers category covers representatives of focal organisations for over 200,000 small and medium sized enterprises, such as the Federation of Small Businesses, the British Chambers of Commerce, and the Trades Union Congress. SaBRE organises and assists in a great number of functions within the UK, many of which are not solely for employer support. It is not possible to ascertain how many invitations to these events go to small, medium or large enterprises.

Treaty of Lisbon: Foreign Policy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the legal status is of the declaration attached to the treaty of Lisbon which states that nothing in the treaties affects the existing powers of the member states to formulate and conduct their foreign policy.

Jim Murphy: I have been asked to reply.
	The Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) was established by the Maastricht treaty. Under the Lisbon treaty it will remain a common policy based on the general rule that decisions must be taken unanimously by the member states. As Article 1 (27) of the Lisbon treaty makes clear, the special nature of CFSP is safeguarded with its decision making arrangements different and separate from all other areas of EU policy.
	The declarations on CFSP further express the political commitment of all 27 member states that foreign policy is the responsibility of the member states and that the treaty does not affect member states' ability to formulate and conduct their own foreign policy.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Environment Protection: Seas and Oceans

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what legal advice he has received on whether an environmental damage assessment is required in relation to fishing and related activities within the proposed offshore special area of conservation sites at  (a) Braemar Pockmarks,  (b) Scanner Pockmark,  (c) North Norfolk sandbanks and Saturn Reef,  (d) Haig Frais,  (e) Stanton Banks,  (f) Darwin Mounds and  (g) Wyville Thomson Ridge.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Offshore Marine Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 2007 (OMCRs) came into force on 21 August 2007 and provides for controls on certain activities that have an effect on important species and habitats in the offshore marine environment through a number of offences that aim to prevent environmentally damaging activities, and for the carrying out of appropriate assessments of plans or projects where required by Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (the habitats directive).
	Legal advice in drafting and implementing these regulations has been ongoing to determine how they might apply to fisheries and best meet the UK obligations under Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds (the birds directive), the habitats directive and the common fisheries policy.
	The UK has not yet submitted the sites mentioned to the European Commission to be considered for designation as marine Special Areas of Conservation. If and when they are submitted they will receive the full protection afforded by the OMCRs.

Fisheries: Environment Protection

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what fishing and related activities took place in the proposed offshore special areas of conservation at  (a) Braemar Pockmarks,  (b) Scanner Pockmark,  (c) North Norfolk sandbanks and Saturn reef, (d) Haig Frais,  (e) Stanton Banks,  (f) Darwin Mounds and  (g) Wyville Thomson Ridge in the latest period for which information is available; how often fishing took place in each; which boats were identified; in which countries those boats were registered; what species were targeted in each; what catch techniques were used; and what the commercial value was of each catch.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Joint Nature Conservation Council (JNCC) is required to prepare conservation objectives and advice on operations as soon as practicable after sites are submitted to the European Commission. For each of the offshore Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) subject to consultation in 2007-08, JNCC prepared draft documents to the best of its existing knowledge, in consultation with various Government Departments and agencies who hold such information.
	JNCC intends to update its conservation objectives and advice on operations taking into account additional information received during the consultation process.
	The following summarises all the information relating to fishing activity, which is available for each site in JNCC's draft conservation objectives and advice on Operations for each possible site:
	 Braemar Pockmarks
	Information for 12 months (ending July 2007) from the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency's (SFPA) Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) database indicates that there is currently significant fishing activity within the proposed boundary of this site. A 2006 survey of the site by an energy supply company also identifies that there is significant trawling in the site. The Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF) report that fishing in this area will include Nephrops trawling, seine netting, single boat demersal trawling, pair trawling and both single boat pelagic and pair pelagic trawling. SFF also indicate the data show that herring followed by haddock are the most important species with significant quantities of cod, monkfish, saithe and whiting. SFPA suggest it may be impossible to construct quantities data given the small size of the area.
	 Scanner Pockmark
	Information for 12 months ending July 2007 from the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency's (SFPA) Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) database indicates that there is currently little fishing activity within the proposed boundary of this site. It is possible that this is because there is an obstruction in the area and this is under investigation. SFPA report that fishing in this area will generally be Nephrops (Norway lobster or scampi) trawling by Scottish vessels. There is also some Danish industrial fishing of pout and sand eel, and some pelagic UK, Danish and Swedish vessels targeting mackerel and herring. The SFF indicate that data show that there has been only one day of pelagic fishing in the past three years in the statistical square that the area lies in and that there is a significant number of days by vessels targeting whitefish using single boat demersal gear and demersal pair trawl. SFPA suggest it may be impossible to construct quantities data given the small size of the area.
	 North Norfolk Sandbanks and Saturn Reef
	This area is heavily commercially fished with mixed demersal fisheries and shellfisheries. The majority of beam trawlers are Dutch and Belgian operating around the banks and targeting sole, plaice and possibly cod, skate and rays. There are also some UK beam trawls and UK vessels using static fishing gear. There may be an occasional UK trawler operating in the area. While the area was popular with Grimsby based trawlers many years ago, the decline in that sector has meant that there has been little recorded activity by them in recent times. French stern trawlers work the area for whiting at certain times of the year (according to French fishing industry information).
	Vessels targeting shellfish which are based on the coast from Caister to Weybourne, including the Cromer/Sheringham crab and lobster fleet, tend to work fairly close inshore and operate mainly on the inner sandbanks. However some of these vessels will venture further off shore. Wells based potting vessels in North Norfolk are more likely to operate further offshore and in the proposed SAC area. The offshore potters based in Grimsby, Bridlington and Scarborough are active throughout the general area. Some five UK long-liners can work the area, principally for cod, skate and dogfish, though the numbers have declined in recent years, with some of the vessels now concentrating on survey and guardship duties. Data from the Marine Fisheries Agency's Fishery Activity Database (FAD) show that the value of landings of fish caught within the boundary of the proposed site, in England by UK vessels, is £841,000 from beam trawls and £68,000 from other demersal towed gear.
	 Haig Fras
	Fishing is known to take place within the site. Information from the Marine Fisheries Agency (MFA) indicates that the area is commercially fished in relation to mixed demersal fisheries, including hake and that there are the following activities:
	Netters: Haig Fras is well within range of the netting fleet based at Newlyn. The area is fished by all of the western based static gear netting vessels (12 in number) and all are members of the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation (CFPO). In some cases these vessels are believed to work directly on top of the proposed SAC area. French netters also appear to work in or near Haig Fras at times.
	Beam trawlers: There are a number of Newlyn based beam trawlers, probably less than 10, that work around this general area and possibly within part of the proposed SAC site at times. There may be some Belgium and Irish activity here as well, at certain times of the year.
	Demersal trawlers: French stern trawlers fish quite widely in the general area around and possibly within Haig Fras for nephrops and demersal species (according to French fishing industry information). A couple of Anglo-Spanish trawlers may also work the area.
	Long-liners: A couple of Anglo-Spanish vessels are known to work in the general area.
	Data on UK landings in England from the Marine and Fisheries Agency show that the value of demersal fishing to UK vessels is about £230,000. There is also known to be French and Irish demersal trawling.
	 Stanton Banks
	Information for 12 months ending July 2007 from the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency's (SFPA) Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) database indicates that there is currently significant fishing activity within the proposed boundary of this site, particularly to the north-west of the site. SFPA report that it is fished heavily by vessels based in west coast of Scotland. The site tends to be a seasonal fishery because of weather and as such provides a good fishing area for larger boats during summer months. The effort is nearly all demersal trawling. The main species targeted are Nephrops (Norway lobster or scampi), haddock, hake and monkfish as well as various other species. The West of Scotland Fish Producers Organisation note that their vessels target nephrops and take by-catches of monk, megrim whiting, haddock and hake suing bottom trawls. In addition there is seasonal pelagic boat activity and significant crab fishing. Irish vessels (using both pelagic and demersal gear) also operate in this area; indeed part of the proposed site lies in Irish grey zone where UK-and Irish-claimed fishing limits overlap and there is an agreed system for enforcement. SFPA report that the industry are aware of coral in the area, and that fishermen make an effort to steer clear of it as it damages their nets.
	 Darwin Mounds
	Mobile demersal gear is known to cause an impact to the reefs and has therefore been banned over the reef under the common fisheries policy.
	 Wyville Thomson Ridge
	Information for 12 months ending July 2007 from the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency's (SFPA) Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) database indicates that there is currently significant fishing activity in the area. Generally the target species for demersal trawling are blueing, ling, greater fork beard and other associated deep sea species. These are targeted mostly by French (according to French fishing industry information), some UK (Scottish) vessels and possibly Spanish vessels. Given the areas rocky nature, it will generally be larger vessels. French pelagic trawlers also operate in this area. Because this site is adjacent to the recently agreed UK-Faeroese Median Line (S.I. 1999 No. 2031) there remains confusion as to the precise UK/Faeroese fishing limits in practice.

Nature Conservation

Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what arrangements have been made for birds issued with Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species transaction specific certificates but removed from Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to be traced by the police for DNA testing when suspected of being wild-taken.

Joan Ruddock: The UK CITES Management Authority (UKMA) makes every effort to ascertain the legality of acquisition of a bird before issuing a Transaction Specific Certificate. However if information came to the attention of the UKMA after issuing a certificate which led it to doubt the veracity of the original application, it would trace the ownership via the name and address in Box 1 "holder", as the certificate is re-issued every time the bird is used on a commercial basis by a new keeper. Applications for certificates will also contain details of parent birds, if known.

Nature Conservation

Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of the 11 non-EU species proposed by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee for inclusion in Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 have existing captive populations in the UK; and what assessment he has made of the effects of including these species in Schedule 4 on the risk of wild birds being smuggled into the UK and their subsequent laundering.

Joan Ruddock: Of the 12 species originally proposed by the JNCC for listing on Schedule 4, nine are non-EU species. Animal Health has issued CITES permits for six species (red-browed amazon, red-tailed amazon, hyacinth macaw, blue-throated macaw, red vented/Philippine cockatoo and Bali starling) in the last 10 years, indicating that these species have been kept in captivity in the UK.
	The EU ban on wild bird imports has meant that, other than birds imported for conservation programmes, only captive-bred birds from approved breeding establishments have been permitted for import into the EU. Any import of wild non-EU birds would be contrary to the ban and CITES regulations. I consider that these regulations maintain a satisfactory level of control on any trade in the nine species, and there is no evidence to suggest that these controls do not work.
	I do not consider that the listing of the nine non-EU species on Schedule 4 in England would have any effect on any illegal take of these species that may occur from the wild in third countries.

Nature Conservation

Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made in ensuring that captive populations of species to be removed from Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 are DNA profiled; and what procedures will be put in place to enable such profiles to be used to determine the  (a) legitimacy and  (b) parentage of birds of such species in the future.

Joan Ruddock: My Department has no plans to carry out DNA testing on all birds that may be removed from schedule 4. The Department has no evidence to suggest that the population of birds currently listed on schedule 4 is other than from primarily legitimate sources. The cost of DNA testing the whole captive population would be prohibitively expensive and would not be justified by any possible enforcement or conservation benefit. Any DNA testing to be carried out by Animal Health will be based on a risk and intelligence-led approach.
	Modern breeding techniques use artificial insemination from a variety of possible male donors. The movement, and death of many of the birds involved in this process means that any comprehensive testing scheme for all birds subject to registration would simply not be logistically possible.

Nature Conservation

Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the reasons are for the revision of the criteria used to decide which species should be listed on schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Joan Ruddock: The prohibition on the import of wild birds into the EU was extended in July 2007 and with this prohibition likely to remain in force for the foreseeable future, the situation in the commercial trade of wild birds has changed. My Department therefore revised the criteria for the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) assessment of species to be listed on schedule 4. The list of species provided by the JNCC was considered in terms of the proportionality of the burden that registration of these species would place on keepers, balancing any conservation benefit that may arise from registration against the regulatory burden imposed by registration.

Waste Management: Enforcement

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how much was spent on the  (a) enforcement of legislation and  (b) prosecution of offences relating to illegal waste activity in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how much was spent on the  (a) enforcement and  (b) prosecution of illegal waste activity in each of the last five years; and how much of this cost has been recovered through the courts.

Joan Ruddock: Flycapture, the national database of fly-tipping incidents records the amount spent by local authorities in England on the following enforcement actions:
	(i) duty of care inspections;
	(ii) fixed penalty notices;
	(iii) formal cautions;
	(iv) injunctions;
	(v) investigations;
	(vi) prosecutions; and
	(vii) warning letters.
	These data have only been available since the year 2006-07. Flycapture records enforcement action that has been carried out with the aim of preventing the illegal disposal of waste, or fly-tipping. It does not record data on all illegal waste activity. In 2006-07, local authorities spent around £24.6 million on enforcement. This figure is calculated using standard costings for different types of enforcement.
	National data on how much local authorities have spent on enforcement and which has been recovered through the courts are not available.
	Data from Flycapture are available to download electronically on DEFRAs Flycapture website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/flytippinq/fly capture-data.htm
	Additionally, in recent years, the Environment Agency has typically spent approximately £14 million per annum on the enforcement and prosecution of illegal waste activity. This figure represents the full costs incurred by the Environment Agency and does not take into account any costs they may recover through the courts.
	Costs recovered through the criminal courts, in respect of successful investigations and prosecutions, over the previous five years were as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2003 1,006,704 
			 2004 641,030 
			 2005 912,969 
			 2006 685,141 
			 2007 1,007,293 
		
	
	Recovered costs cover all cases that involve waste, breaches and incidents.

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has for his Department to undertake an impact assessment of amendments to Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Joan Ruddock: My Department will publish an impact assessment to accompany any statutory instrument that may amend Schedule 4.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Debt Collection

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will take steps to provide safeguards in relation to the activity of bailiffs for people with mental health problems who are in debt.

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	An enhanced and extended certification procedure for those enforcement agents who take control of goods, has been taken forward in the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007. The Act provides for the future compulsory regulation of all enforcement agents who take control of goods, and who are not Crown employees, via an enhanced and extended certification process. There will be a training requirement that will include knowledge of how to deal appropriately with vulnerable debtors.
	Having secured the legislation, further public consultation is required to develop the underpinning rules and regulations. A development plan is being completed during May 2008 that will contain a timetable for implementation, together with a list of issues to be consulted on.

Debt Collection

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what mechanisms are in place to inform people of their rights in relation to action being taken against them by bailiffs.

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	Bailiffs powers currently stem from common law and numerous pieces of legislation resulting in an array of mechanisms depending on the type of debt or type of agent responsible for enforcement.
	HMCS produce a leaflet, EX345 About Bailiffs and Enforcement Officers, detailing who bailiff and enforcement officers are, how they recover money, the complaints procedure and where to find free and independent advice.
	The Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, which received Royal Assent on 19 July 2007, introduces a single piece of bailiff law which brings together in one place the legal structure for all warrant enforcement, written in terms that are easily understandable and which clearly outline the rights and responsibilities of creditors, debtors and enforcement agents.

Departmental Opinion Polls

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what polling companies held contracts with his Department centrally in 2007-08; and what  (a) surveys,  (b) questionnaires and  (c) other services each provided.

Gareth Thomas: My Department has contracted Ipsos MORI to produce stakeholder surveys, the results of which are used to understand departmental reputation and to measure departmental performance and capability. The 2007-08 framework comprises a mix of five quantitative and qualitative surveys of different customer groups.
	It is possible that other companies may have been contracted to provide ad hoc polling services. However this information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Standards

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what projects sponsored by his Department were subject to Gateway reviews in each of the last four years; what status each project was assigned under such reviews; how much his Department spent on Gateway reviews in each such year; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 15 May 2008
	The BERR-sponsored programmes and projects in the following list were subject to medium' or high' risk OGC Gateway reviews in each of the last four years. Gateway reports, including the findings and status, are conducted on a confidential basis for Senior Responsible Owners (SROs). We do not make this information routinely public.
	 2007-08
	RSS Discovery Replacement Project
	Dispute Resolution Review - New Services Project
	HECToR
	Easter Bush Research Centre
	CHAMP
	Business Support Simplification Programme
	BLISS NIMR
	Enabling the Future (2 Gateway Reviews in 2007/08)
	CHIPS - Information Processing System
	Digital Switchover Programme
	Sellafield PBO Competition
	LLWR PBO Competition
	Magnox South Competition
	CEH Transition and Integration Programme CO3031
	CCS Demonstration Programme
	Research Councils Shared Services Centre Implementation Project
	Debt Relief Orders
	 2006-07
	Easter Bush Research Centre
	Data Improvement Programme
	Company Law Reform Programme
	HR Operational Efficiency Project
	Competition for a PRO for the Sellafield SLC
	Diamond Light Source
	Service Transformation and Restructuring Programme (STAR)
	Research Councils Shared Services Centre Implementation Project
	Digital Switchover Programme
	CHIPS - Information Processing System
	UK Trade and Investment E-Business Programme - CRM Project
	NDA DRIGG Competition (2 Gateway Reviews in 2006-07)
	UKAEA Winfrith Site Closure Programme
	RRS Charles Darwin Replacement (RRS James Cook)
	UKTI 5 Year Strategy and Implementation
	HECToR
	NIMR RENEWAL
	Two Roof Strategy Programme
	Business Support Simplification Programme
	Shared Primary Resource Information Environment
	HR Operational Efficiency Project
	RCUK Efficiency Delivery Project
	Next Generation Back Office Project
	 2005-06
	Consumer Direct Transition to OFT
	Company Law Reform Programme
	Pirbright Site Redevelopment
	D3900 (RHILW Encapsulation, Immobilisation & Storage Facility)
	Efficiency Delivery Programme
	SGHWR
	Trade Marks Integration and EDM Programme
	National Physical Laboratory Upgrade Project
	Consumer Direct
	Digital Switchover Programme
	Finance Excellence Plan Programme
	SGHWR
	HECToR
	Flexible Computing Project
	MATRIX 2
	RCUK Efficiency Delivery Project
	Account Services Update - MENTOR
	CHIPS - Information Processing System
	International Trade Single Window
	Business Support Transformation Programme
	XNP Partnering Project
	Efficiency Delivery Programme
	Two Roof Strategy Programme
	 2004-05
	Information Centre Project
	Research Administration Programme (RAP)
	LLW Facilities Project
	Business.gov
	Efficiency Programme
	HECToR
	ICT Unit Project (P)
	Consumer Direct
	HPC(X) - High Performance Computing
	D3900 (RHILW Encapsulation, Immobilisation and Storage Facility)
	Digital Switchover Programme
	RCUK Administration Strategy
	Efficiency Programme
	UKAEA Winfrith Site Closure Programme
	Two Roof Strategy Programme
	Trade Marks Integration and EDM Programme
	NDA Programme
	RRS Charles Darwin Replacement (RRS James Cook)
	Euro Conversion Programme
	Consumer Direct
	Information Centre Project
	A key principle of Gateway reviews is that they are cost neutral. However, where there is a shortfall in Civil Service Gateway Reviewers, suitably accredited external resource may be used. BERR is unable to identify the individual costs for each Gateway review undertaken as this information is not specifically recorded.

Local Better Regulation Office

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether the Local Better Regulation Office will set performance  (a) indicators and  (b) targets for local authorities trading standards and environmental health divisions.

Patrick McFadden: LBRO will not set performance indicators or performance targets for local authorities. In order to ensure that LBRO understands performance issues in relation to its remit, the organisation is working closely with the Department of Communities and Local Government so that any LBRO projects which require the collection and/or analysis of performance information draw on and complement performance data available within the new performance framework for local government.

Minimum Wage

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent estimate he has made of the number of people receiving the national minimum wage, broken down by level of total annual earnings.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 9 May 2008
	Around 800,000 adults aged 22 and over are receiving the October 2007 national minimum wage(l).
	For people receiving the national minimum wage who remain with the same employer for the whole year(2) it is estimated that around a quarter are earning less than £2,800 gross annual pay, about half earn less than £5,400 per annum and around three-quarters earn less than £9,100 per annum.
	The vast majority of those receiving the national minimum wage and earning less than the median of £5,400 per annum are part-time employees. There will also be some people earning above the national minimum wage who earn less than £5,400 per year (and are not included above) because they do not work many hours during a week or during the year.
	(1) BERR has arrived at this estimate by deflating the October 2007 national minimum wage for adults (£5.52 per hour) by average earnings growth between April 2007 and October 2007. This deflated rate is equivalent to £5.40 per hour. Using April 2007 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings data around 800,000 individuals earn less than or equal to £5.40 per hour in the survey reference week.
	(2) Data on annual gross pay is only collected in the Annual Survey of Hours for employees who have worked with the same employer for a period of at least 12 months. In addition, the hourly earnings and hours worked in the reference week will not necessarily be the same for each week of the year.

Official Visits: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what visits he has made to Essex in an official capacity in the last 12 months.

Gareth Thomas: In the last 12 months there has been one occasion when a Minister has visited Essex in his official capacity. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.

Post Offices: Closures

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many submissions to the London Post Office Closure consultation supported the closure of a local post office.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, managing director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Renewable Energy

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much and what proportion of UK-generated energy supplies in megawatt hours was derived from renewable sources in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 16 May 2008
	The shares of renewables within (a) UK energy supplies and (b) renewable electricity within UK-generated electricity for 2002 to 2006 are summarised in the following tables. Data for 2007 will not be available until later this year.
	
		
			  (a)  Share of renewables in UK energy supply, 2002 - 06 
			   UK energy supply (GWh)  UK renewable energy supply (GWh)  Share of renewables within UK energy supply (percentage) 
			 2002 2,804,563 33,685 1.20 
			 2003 2,838,674 36,140 1.27 
			 2004 2,861,701 42,858 1.50 
			 2005 2,876,913 49,311 1.71 
			 2006 2,835,487 51,522 1.82 
			  Source:  Data derived from the Digest of UK Energy Statistics, 2007, Tables 1.1 and 7.7. 
		
	
	
		
			  (b)  Share of renewables in UK electricity generation, 2002 - 06 
			   UK electricity generation (GWh)  UK renewable electricity generation (GWh)  Share of renewables within UK electricity generation (percentage) 
			 2002 387,246 11,127 2.87 
			 2003 398,209 10,548 2.65 
			 2004 393,867 14,085 3.58 
			 2005 398,372 16,870 4.23 
			 2006 398,327 18,133 4.55 
			  Source:  Data derived from the Digest of UK Energy Statistics, 2007, Tables 5.6 and 7.4

Small Businesses: Bureaucracy

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what progress the Better Regulation Executive is making towards its target of reducing red tape for small businesses by 25 per cent. by 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: In December 2007, 19 Simplification Plans were published, showing more than 700 measures to reduce the burdens of complying with regulations. Over 280 of these measures have already been delivered saving businesses £800 million per year. Examples include:
	 Simpler law for smaller businesses (BERR):
	Smaller businesses stand to benefit from substantial rewrite of company law. Coupled with better guidance, new provisions are expected to lower third party costs and make compliance easier. Conservative estimate of £2 million annual savings delivered.
	 Changes to small b usi ness rate r elief (Communities):
	Small firms eligible for small business rate relief no longer have to register for relief annually. £3 million annual savings delivered, and expected to rise to £11 million by 2010.
	 Small f irms audit requirements (Financial Services Authority):
	Removed the need for 3,400 small firms to have a statutory audit, saving £12.9 million per year. Copies of these plans are available online at:
	http://www.berr.gov\uk/bre/policy/simplifyingexistingregulation/simplificationplans/2007/page44068.html
	Our Enterprise Strategy, published alongside the Budget, also contained significant new proposals to reduce regulation. This includes examining whether small firms can be either exempted from new regulation or be subject to specifically tailored approaches. The Government will also consult on the introduction of regulatory budgets.

UK Trade and Investment: Contracts

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what bilateral commercial contracts have been signed with the assistance of UK Trade and Investment since July 2007.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 12 May 2008
	UK Trade & Investment measures its performance in terms of the value it adds for its customers and for the economy. In the case of its trade services, results for FY 2007-08 show that UKTI helped 15,900 UK companies to exploit overseas business opportunities. The total estimated additional bottom line profit for these businesses, generated by UKTI services, was £3 billion. In the case of inward investment, we expect the outturn result for the year to be close to the 525 target for foreign direct investment projects which UKTI has successfully facilitated, and significantly to have exceeded the target for 125 of those projects to be of high value.

TRANSPORT

Bus Services: Concessions

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will meet Welsh Assembly Government ministers to discuss the use of concessionary bus passes across the border between England and Wales.

Rosie Winterton: The Secretary of State has no plans at present to meet Welsh Assembly Government Ministers to discuss the use of concessionary bus passes across the England/Wales border, and nor have I. Further to my answer of 1 May 2008,  Official Report, column 597W, discussions with the Welsh Assembly Government about reciprocal arrangements for cross-border concessionary travel between England and the Devolved Administrations have taken place at official level.

Departmental Training

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2041W, on departmental manpower, how many of the employees under 18 years of age are receiving at least one day's training per week.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport currently employs 18 people who are under the age of 18. Sixteen of these employees are temporary staff, and they do not receive more than one day of training per week.
	Of the remaining two employees, one receives at least one day of training per week.

Driving Instruction: Standards

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what recent steps the Government have taken to improve the standards of newly-qualified drivers;
	(2)  what recent steps the Government has taken to reduce the number of road traffic accidents caused by newly-qualified drivers.

Jim Fitzpatrick: On 7 May 2008, we launched the Driving Standards Agencys Learning to Drive consultation, which sets out proposals for the reform of driver education, training and testing. The reforms will better prepare newly qualified drivers for modern driving conditions and help reduce collisions and casualties:
	Key elements in our proposals are as follows.
	 A new pre driver foundation qualification in safe road use, with a course piloted in schools and colleges in Scotland from this autumn.
	 More thorough and effective learning to drive arrangements underpinned by a new learning to drive syllabus setting out the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to be a safe and competent driver. This will be supported by a student workbook. We are trialling new ways for people to develop safe attitudes including an attitude advisor, which can assess drivers approach to risk and help guide training programs. We shall be investigating new ways of learning and training, including driver discussion groups, as well as improved in-car training arrangements.
	 Improved driving tests. We are investigating changes to both our theory and practical tests to ensure drivers meet the standards we require before qualifying for a full licence.
	We are researching our theory test so it provides a better assessment of understanding, perhaps by using case studies. We shall research possible changes to the Hazard Perception Test to improve its safety effects. We have sought views on whether we should continue to publish the theory test question bank.
	We are trialling possible changes to the practical test so that it provides a better guide to whether a learner has reached the standard to drive unsupervised. These changes include introducing independent driving, situational judgment, changes to the way specific manoeuvres are tested and switching from a fault based marking system to one that focuses on positive evidence on competence.
	We are investigating improved feedback arrangements for all our tests. We are also looking at splitting the theory and practical tests into modules, to enable learners to pass elements as they are ready.
	 New opportunities to take further training and qualifications. We shall work with the insurance industry and employers whose employees drive in the course of their work to develop new courses and qualifications that they value, leading to lower insurance premiums and improved job prospects.
	 Star ratings for driving instructors so that learners can make an informed choice about the driver training services on offer and which are suitable for them.
	 Improved training and testing arrangements for driving instructors, both when they qualify initially and subsequently, to ensure they are well placed to provide a quality service in the new environment.
	Copies of the consultation paper are available in the Libraries of the House.

Driving Tests

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving test centres in England closed in each year since 1997; which driving test centres in England are earmarked for closure by the Driving Standards Agency; what savings have been achieved as a result of closures already implemented; and what estimate she has made of possible savings resulting from future closures.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 29 April 2008
	The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) currently operates a network of 425 driving test centres throughout Great Britain.
	To facilitate the introduction of new European requirements for practical tests, alongside its existing estate DSA is developing a new national network of driving test centres. These centres, which are based on an updated design, are fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act and also support the Government's wider sustainability agenda.
	In order to exploit the value of the investment in these new centres DSA have decided that, wherever possible, they will be multi-purpose test centres (MPTCs). The new centres will have appropriate facilities to conduct practical tests for learner car drivers and motorcyclists. In some cases, there will also be provision for lorry driver tests.
	As an organisation which relies on test fee income for the provision of its services DSA needs to ensure that it can deliver a cost-effective service which avoids unnecessary expenditure. The provision of MPTCs is expected to cost in the region of £71 million. That cost will largely be recovered through increased fees paid by test candidates.
	In order to keep those fee increases to the minimum, DSA must closely examine how it delivers its services and seek more efficiencies in the way it conducts its business. This includes reviewing existing driving test centre provision to ensure that, while the service standard is maintained, there is no wasteful over-provision of facilities. Regrettably this does mean that some existing driving test centres have to close.
	Since 1997 the following driving test centres in England have been closed:
	
		
			  Driving test centre (DTC)  Date closed  Annual saving( 1)( ) (£) 
			 Alvaston LGV 1997 (2) 
			 Sheffield Manor Top 1997 (2) 
			 Farnborough 29 September 1998 (2) 
			 Surbiton 3 June 2000 (2) 
			 New Ilford 27 July 2000 (2) 
			 Southfields 12 September 2000 (2) 
			 New Southgate 15 December 2000 (2) 
			 Teddington 15 June 2001 (2) 
			 Truro 17 January 2002 (2) 
			 Leamington Spa 28 February 2002 (2) 
			 Stratford Upon Avon 8 April 2002 (2) 
			 Croydon LGV 14 January 2004 13,846.00 
			 Coventry Holyhead Road 26 January 2004 11,237.00 
			 Coventry Mason Road 26 January 2004 7,643.00 
			 Wallington Old Town Hall 31 January 2005 2,731.00 
			 Birmingham Quinton 31 May 2006 25,026.00 
			 Sidcup Craybrook 15 June 2007 18,784.00 
			 Thornaby 27 August 2007 19,176.00 
			 Winchmore Hill 31 August 2007 6,588.00 
			 Ipswich LGV 15 September 2007 637.00 
			 Total  137,431.00 
			 (1) Due to the recording system used by DSA, details of savings cannot be provided for driving test centres which closed prior to 2004.  (2) Unavailable. 
		
	
	Since September 2007 the following driving test centres have closed and been relocated as a result of the multi-purpose test centre project:
	
		
			  DTC  Annual saving( 1)  (£) 
			 Darlington 22,662.71 
			 Exeter 125,361.77 
			 Gainsborough 3,646.20 
			 Gateshead 14,628.36 
			 Gloucester 36,128.30 
			 Hessle 17,151.20 
			 Hull 10,431.25 
			 Ipswich Woodbridge 32,550.12 
			 Rotherham 18,843.02 
			 Scunthorpe 10,017.88 
			 Shrewsbury 14,901.14 
			 St Helens 9,445.22 
			 Total 315,767.17 
			 (1) Due to the recording system used by DSA, details of savings cannot be provided for driving test centres which closed prior to 2004. 
		
	
	The following driving test centres have been earmarked for closure and the anticipated savings from their closure are shown alongside; most of these closures will result from the implementation of the multi-purpose driving test centre project:
	
		
			  DTC  Potential savings (£) 
			 Bexleyheath 13,266.37 
			 Blackburn 18,432.59 
			 Burton On Trent 17,413.22 
			 Carlisle 17,665.86 
			 Chester 11,453.44 
			 Gedling 8,615.90 
			 Gillingham 36,599.27 
			 Herne Bay 9,283.62 
			 Kings Lynn 7,869.21 
			 Leicester Welford Road 21,369.51 
			 Lincoln 15,772.57 
			 Minehead 1,806.22 
			 Norwich 10,499.00 
			 Peterborough 31,712.91 
			 Plymouth 53,084.30 
			 Shirley 21,402.05 
			 Southend 22,062.47 
			 Spalding 4,660.00 
			 Swindon 8,700.53 
			 Taunton 36,461.65 
			 Trowbridge 13,782.05 
			 Warrington 24,150.62 
			 Washwood Heath 13,559.31 
			 West Bridgford 21,169.43 
			 Wisbech 6,796.31 
			 Wolverhampton 7,909.43 
			 Total 455,497.84

Driving Tests

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate her Department has made of the cost to the public purse of changing the format of the driving test.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Our aim is to develop more effective and efficient training and testing arrangements to improve road safety without increasing the average cost of learning to drive which we estimate currently to be some £1,500. A partial Impact Assessment which includes cost estimates for various elements of our proposals was published alongside the Driving Standards Agency's Learning to Drive consultation paper and these can be accessed via the DSA website www.dsa.gov.uk.
	Actual costs would depend upon the decisions we reach in light of the comments from consultees plus the research and trialling work we are undertaking in parallel with the wide-ranging consultation exercise. We shall publish an updated Impact Assessment alongside our implementation plans.

Driving Tests

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the longest distance is that learner drivers are expected to travel to take a driving test;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the size of population that each driving test centre should serve.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Ministers have agreed the following target service levels for the distances most candidates are required to travel to take practical car driving tests:
	
		
			  Population density  Distance criteria 
			 >=1,250/km2 No more than 7 miles 
			 101-1,249/km2 No more than 20 miles 
			 0-100/km2 No more than 30 miles 
		
	
	For practical motorcycle riding tests the target is that most customers should be able to reach a motorcycle testing facility within 45 minutes, travelling no more than 20 miles.

Driving Under Influence: Accidents

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate her Department has made of the number of road traffic accidents associated with binge drinking in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Information on personal injury road accidents associated with binge drinking is not available.
	The provisional number of reported personal injury road accidents involving at least one driver/rider over the legal alcohol limit in Great Britain in 2006 was 9,390. Information is not available for damage only road accidents.
	Further information on drinking and driving in reported personal injury road accidents is available in the Drinking and driving article in Road Casualties Great Britain 2006 available at
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/162259/162469/221412/221549/227755/rcgb2006v1.pdf.
	Copies of the report have been deposited in the Libraries of the House.

Driving: Costs

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research she has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on changes in the cost to motorists of driving since 2005; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Retail Prices Index published by the Office for National Statistics is used to measure changes in the costs of motoring.
	The total cost of motoring fell by 4 per cent. from January 2005 to April 2008 in real terms. The total includes the cost of buying cars, fuel, maintenance and insurance. This overall fall was driven largely by the falling costs of car purchasedown by 20 per cent. over this period. The real terms cost of tax and insurance fell by 6 per cent., the cost of maintenance rose by 5 per cent., with the cost of petrol and oil rising by 21 per cent.

Driving: Young People

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what procedures were used to choose the  (a) venues,  (b) participants and  (c) contents of the Young Peoples Forums on Driving; and what steps have been taken to inform young (i) drivers and (ii) learner drivers of the report of the workshops held under the auspices of the forum.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To offer a reasonable geographical spread, one location in each of the nations in Great Britain was chosen. Nottingham was used as a central location in England outside of London; Cardiff and Glasgow as the major cities in Wales and Scotland.
	The opportunity to apply to participate in the forum was widely promoted within each of the chosen locations through:
	university and college networks
	youth centres
	local council youth programmes
	workplaces with a relatively high number of young employees
	Participants were selected to ensure that a reasonable diversity of membership for each group was reflected in terms of:
	age
	gender
	ethnicity
	educational or working background
	stage in driver learning and learning/driving history
	The contents of the fora were chosen so that:
	elements of the proposed approach to driver learning and testing could be reviewed;
	specific relevant research questions could be discussed and responded to;
	the products we wanted to use for the Learning to Drive consultation exercise could be developed and reviewed to make them meaningful and accessible to young people.
	As well as the references to the work of the Young Peoples Forum and the workshops, a full report is available on the Driving Standards Agency website:
	http://www.dsa.gov.uk/Documents/Consultation/ltd/DSA_YPF_Summary_report_10%2001%2008FINAL.pdf
	The Learning to Drive consultation paper can be freely downloaded from the dedicated website:
	www.dsa.gov.uk/learningtodrive
	The website is accessible to young drivers and learners as well as the public in general.
	The consultation and website are being promoted via three major social networking sites.
	A condensed version of the full consultation paper has been published as a booklet, specifically with young people in mind. Public events will be held in England, Scotland and Wales during the consultation period. Members from the fora will attend to talk to young people who come along.
	A media campaign will run throughout the duration of the consultation to promote the events and the website.
	Information and directions to the Learning to Drive website are included with both the practical driving and theory test confirmation letters and are published on the Directgov website.

Lorries: Road Traffic Offences

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much revenue remains uncollected from non-UK registered Heavy Goods Vehicles for (a) congestion charges, (b) parking fines, (c) speeding fines and (d) low emissions zone breaches.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 16 May 2008
	The Government do not hold this information centrally.
	Information collected by the Government identifies the total number of fixed penalties ordered to be paid in relation to criminal motoring offences such as speeding, and the number and amounts of court fines issued. Detailed data about particular offences, or the type of vehicle involved, are not collected.
	The relevant highway authority is responsible for the enforcement of penalty charges for civil contraventionssuch as congestion charge, parking and low emission zone contraventions. The Government do not require local authorities to provide information relating to unpaid penalty charges, or to particular vehicle types.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Pay

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the cost of implementing the pay benchmarking analysis undertaken by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in 2007.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the PCS and Prospect Unions have yet to agree formally both the details within the 2007 comparability studies and the validity and appropriateness of the potential comparators they describe. No estimate of costs can be made unless and until that agreement is reached.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Pay

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations she has received from the chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on staff  (a) pay and  (b) grading.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It is the established practice that Maritime and Coastguard Agency chief executives have regular meetings with DfT Ministers, at which any aspect of Agency business can be discussed.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Recruitment

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost of staff recruitment for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency was in each year since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The cost of advertising and fees for staff recruitment at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, by financial year, since 1998 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Cost (£) 
			 1998-99 59,942 
			 1999-2000 44,159 
			 2000-01 55,528 
			 2001-02 100,463 
			 2002-03 158,488 
			 2003-04 244,672 
			 2004-05 188,227 
			 2005-06 231,968 
			 2006-07 325,171 
			 2007-08 252,221 
		
	
	Information is not available for 1997-08.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Vacancies

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff vacancies there are in the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Jim Fitzpatrick: As of 15 May there were 36 vacancies that have arisen because of normal staff turnover.
	In addition there were a further 60 posts to be filled as part of the agencys on-going restructuring exercise, the majority of which will be filled from the pool of displaced existing staff. None of these were for coastguards or for surveyors.

Parking: Schools

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance has been issued to local highway authorities by her Department on  (a) charging parents to drop their children off outside schools and  (b) restricting the provision of parking places near schools.

Rosie Winterton: We have not issued any specific guidance on these aspects of parking. The Department's School travel strategies and plans: a best practice guide for local authorities identified the imposition of parking restrictions as one of several measures that local authorities should consider when providing safer routes to schools, and it gave examples of local authorities that had used such controls as part of their traffic management strategies. There are powers in the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 that enable local authorities to introduce parking controls (including any associated charges) where they consider it appropriate.

Roads: Accidents

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research has been commissioned by her Department on  (a) the primary causes of accidents involving newly-qualified drivers and  (b) measures to improve the road-readiness of drivers following the passing of the driving test.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The consultation on improving learning to drive which the Department for Transport launched on 7 May 2008 is supported by a number of research reports on the nature of the problems faced by learner and newly qualified drivers. The main research is summarised in the Learning to Drive evidence document, which is available online at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/research/rsrr/theme2/rsrr87.pdf)
	The research includes a large-scale study on the experiences and attitudes of learner and new drivers, including their involvement in accidents. This report can be found at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/research/rsrr/theme2/cohort2/cohrtiimainreport.pdf
	There is also substantial research on the causes of accidents involving young people, who represent the majority of newly qualified driversthree-quarters (75 per cent.) of newly qualified drivers in 2006-07 were under the age of 25. In 2002, an in-depth study, commissioned by the Department, which explored the causes of accidents involving young drivers was publishedsee:
	http://www.trl.co.uk/store/report_detail_asp?srid=2693

Roads: Accidents

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) men and  (b) women were killed in car accidents in London where at least one of the drivers involved was aged 21 years or under and (i) male and (ii) female in each year since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The numbers of  (a) male and  (b) female fatalities in reported road accidents involving at least one (i) male and (ii) female car driver was aged 21 years or under in London in 1997 to 2006 are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number of fatalities( 1) 
			   Male car driver aged 21 years or under  Female car driver aged 21 years or under 
			   Male fatality  Female fatality  Male fatality  Female fatality 
			 1997 26 4 1 4 
			 1998 14 7 2 0 
			 1999 26 4 9 1 
			 2000 24 10 2 2 
			 2001 24 3 4 2 
			 2002 18 9 0 3 
			 2003 11 3 2 1 
			 2004 18 2 2 0 
			 2005 16 5 3 2 
			 2006 22 0 1 1 
			 (1) Some fatalities may be double counted in the table as an accident could involve both a male driver (aged 21 and under) and a female driver (aged 21 and under).

Sea Rescue: Strikes

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contingency arrangements were made by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency during each of the last three strikes by coastguards; and what further contingency arrangements have been identified as necessary in the event of a strike by coastguards lasting four days.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The UKs maritime emergency response is provided by a co-operative partnership of Government Departments, emergency services and other organisations. During the three 24-hour periods of strike action by some Maritime and Coastguard Agency staff in March and April, the Agency worked with its partner organisations to maintain UK emergency response and search and rescue co-ordination capabilities. This was achieved by using a combination of well-rehearsed internal contingency measures (such as employing existing technology to pair rescue co-ordination centres, where necessary), redeploying experienced managers, establishing a national strategic support centre and co-ordinating closely with other search and rescue operators. In addition, the Agency ensured that information about MCA services during the strike was widely disseminated to its customers.
	The Agency will approach contingency planning for any future strike action by coastguards in a similar manner.

Sea Rescue: Strikes

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff at each coastguard station participated in strike action in each strike affecting the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of staff, by Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, who have taken strike action in each strike affecting the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, in the last five years, is shown as follows:
	
		
			   Strike date 
			  MRCC  6 March 2008  11 March 2008  23/24 April 2008 
			 Portland 13 12 11 
			 Solent 17 11 16 
			 Dover 12 10 11 
			 Thames 11 11 12 
			 Yarmouth 9 8 9 
			 Humber 8 7 12 
			 Forth 10 3 4 
			 Aberdeen 9 5 6 
			 Shetland 0 0 0 
			 Stornoway 6 5 2 
			 Clyde 11 8 5 
			 Belfast 11 11 2 
			 Liverpool 13 10 4 
			 Holyhead 14 11 7 
			 Milford Haven 9 8 2 
			 Swansea 14 8 12 
			 Falmouth 12 11 0 
			 Brixham 9 10 1 
			 London 2 2 2 
			 Total 190 151 118

Smoking

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many smoking shelters were built at each of her Department's London buildings in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Two.

Travel: Concessions

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the reason was for her issue of advice to local authorities on 14 February for them to order temporary concessionary travel passes;
	(2)  when she was first informed that Smartcard passes might not be ready by 1 April 2008;
	(3)  what the reasons are for the time taken to produce the Smartcard passes for the concessionary travel scheme; what assessment she has made of where responsibility for the delay to the time taken for production falls; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  how many concessionary scheme bus passes have not been issued on the original timetable; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Responsibility for issuing the concessionary travel passes rests with travel concession authorities, as it has done since 2000. When we made the decision last September to require the new concessionary travel passes to be in smartcard form we recognised this was a challenging requirement in the time available. This is why we put in place contingency arrangements, including allowing existing local passes to remain valid in the local area until 30 September, and providing authorities with temporary passes for people who wished to travel outside their local area.
	Local authorities were advised to order sufficient temporary passes to ensure that anyone who was eligible for the England-wide concession was able to take advantage of it from 1 April even if they had not received their smartcard pass by then.
	In fact, most local authorities and their suppliers were able to produce passes in time for the start of the concession. By 1 April, 95 per cent. of the anticipated passes had been produced. Unfortunately, while they had managed to produce the passes on time, we are aware that some suppliers experienced last minute problems in dispatching those passes to eligible people. Despite this, we estimate that around 4.8 million passes were dispatched by 1 April.

West Coast Railway Line

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 13 May 2008,  Official Report, column 1433W, on the West Coast railway line, what contingency plans are in place should the implementation of the West Coast Main Line timetable due in December 2008 need to be delayed.

Tom Harris: The Government remain confident that Network Rail can deliver the December 2008 timetable changes on schedule. In the event that the timetable was to be delayed, existing services would continue. However, the Department for Transport is aware of the changes that would need to be made to franchises and the impact of any delay on the delivery of other projects. These matters were carefully considered by the Secretary of State when she decided to support delivery of the December 2008 outputs on schedule.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Carbon Monoxide: Alarms

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what advice the Housing Health and Safety Rating System provides on the use of carbon monoxide alarms.

Iain Wright: The Housing Health and Safety Rating System is a risk assessment tool used to assess potential risks to the health and safety of occupants in residential properties in England and Wales. Local authorities are responsible for operating the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.
	The Housing Health and Safety Rating System assesses 29 categories of housing hazard; each hazard has a weighting which will help determine whether the property is rated as having Category 1 (serious) or Category 2 (other) hazards.
	Within the 29 categories carbon monoxide and fuel combustion products are listed as hazards. Clearly exposure to high concentrations of carbon monoxide is a serious hazard and following discovery of such concentrations would lead to immediate action to address the situation. Communities and Local Government has issued operating guidance for local authorities. The guidance contains a number of preventative measures that may be taken including the use carbon monoxide detectors. The guidance can be viewed on the following link:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/hhsrs operatingguidance

Community Development

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many submissions she received in response to her consultation paper on the action plan for community empowerment; and when these representations will be published.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department for Communities and Local Government received 33 responses to the Community Empowerment Action Plan over the course of October 2007 to January 2008. These responses are being fed into the development of policy for the Community Empowerment White Paper which will be published this summer.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many receptions she has hosted and funded in her capacity as Secretary of State in the last 12 months; which individuals and organisations  (a) were invited to and  (b) attended each reception; and what the cost was of each reception.

Hazel Blears: I will publish, in due course, an annual list providing information relating to official receptions hosted by Ministers in this Department during the previous financial year.

Departmental Translation Services

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was spent on translation services into  (a) Welsh and  (b) other languages by her Department, associated agencies and non-departmental public bodies in (i) 2003-04, (ii) 2004-05, (iii) 2005-06, (iv) 2006-07 and (v) 2007-08.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Departments expenditure by financial year on translation services is as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  £ 
			 2003-04 114,191 
			 2004-05 51,304 
			 2005-06 61,319 
			 2006-07 29,942 
			 2007-08 61,329 
		
	
	Data to identify departmental expenditure on translation into  (a) Welsh and  (b) other languages are not held centrally and could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
	The Departments agencies have supplied the following information on their expenditure on translations services.
	
		
			  £ 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Planning Inspectorate 93,047 96,082 64,152 67,890 59,215 
			 Fire Service College    75 30 
			 QE2 Conference Centre      
		
	
	The Fire Service College can supply data for financial year 2006-07 and 2007-08. It could provide previous years expenditure only at disproportionate cost. Detailed expenditure on translation into  (a) Welsh and  (b) other languages could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
	Ordnance Survey could identify spend on translation services only at disproportionate cost.
	Records of the expenditure on translation by non-departmental public bodies are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Waste Disposal

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much waste produced by her Department was sent to landfill in each year since 1997.

John Healey: Communities and Local Government produced the following amounts of general waste (in tonnes):
	
		
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Communities and Local Government 253 310 204 203 197 
			 Executive Agencies (1) (1) 1400 644 633 
			 (1) Date not available in these years.  Note: These data do not include information from the regional Government Office network. 
		
	
	The Department is currently compiling its waste data for 2007-08, and does not hold data prior to 2002-03.
	It should be noted that the Department sends its general waste to an incineration plant which generates energy from waste, rather than disposing in landfill.

Eco-Towns

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library copies of the letters of support for the shortlisted eco-town locations from  (a) the Highways Agency,  (b) the Environment Agency and  (c) Natural England.

Caroline Flint: The initial identification of issues reflecting comments by these Agencies is summarised for each location in the recently published consultation documentEco-townsLiving a greener future. This summarises the issues facing each shortlisted location and assesses both the benefits of the schemes and the challenges, as communicated to Communities and Local Government by all those agencies with an interest, including those related to transport and the environment. Copies of the consultation document are available in the House Library. Assessment of the issues and challenges for each location by the Agencies and other partners is continuing and will be set out in more detail in a draft Sustainability Appraisal on the locations and a draft policy statement, which we expect to publish for further consultation in July.

Eco-Towns

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what meetings Ministers in her Department have had with each of the 15 short-listed eco-town bidders.

Caroline Flint: Neither the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government nor Ministers in her Department have held meetings with representatives of bidders from the shortlisted eco-town bidders. Ministerial meetings will be held with them all in due course.

Eco-Towns Challenge Panel

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what the role and purpose of the Eco-Towns Challenge Panel is; whether it will provide advice on which eco-towns proposed should be submitted for planning approval; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how the members of the Eco-Towns Challenge panel were selected; what the basis was of the establishment of the panel; how much it is estimated to cost each year; and what remuneration is paid to its members.

Caroline Flint: The Eco-Towns Challenge was set up specifically to be a short-term independent panel that would work with bidders to improve their schemes during the first stage of the process for taking eco-towns forward (as set out in Eco-townsLiving a greener future).
	Members of the panel were selected for their expertise in matters of environment, sustainability, transport and design. Each member will be paid the Government rate of £350 per day when they are working for the panel. At present three panel meetings have been scheduled in May and June, but we anticipate a further round of meetings.

Eco-towns Challenge Panel: Political Impartiality

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether members of the Eco-towns Challenge Panel have made declarations of recent political activity.

Caroline Flint: The Eco-towns Challenge was set up to be a short term independent panel that would work with bidders to improve their plans, and declarations of political activities are not required for expert panels of this type. Members of the panel were selected for their expertise in matters of environment, sustainability, transport and design.

Eco-Towns: Motor Vehicles

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans her Department and its agencies have to use the New Towns Act 1981 to establish delivery vehicles for eco-towns.

Caroline Flint: As we have set out in the consultation document Eco-towns-Living a greener future, the New Towns Act 1981 may be an appropriate delivery option in circumstances where:
	the task of infrastructure provision and related investment was of a scale where a statutory body would have significant advantages;
	there was a major risk of land assembly and the need for special powers was evident; and
	the ability of a statutory body to bring forward development more quickly was a significant factor.
	We would only use these powers to support delivery of complex and challenging developments, and would expect such vehicles to be used in partnership with the local authorities.

Eco-Towns: Planning Permission

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the location is of each Eco-Town bid made to her Department which has not been short-listed.

Caroline Flint: A list of the bids which were not on the shortlist published on 3 April is set out in the consultation document Eco-townsLiving a greener future. Based on the information received in relation to these bids, the areas in which they are located are set out as follows:
	
		
			  Region  Scheme name  Borough/district/city 
			 East Midlands(1) Kingston Rushcliffe 
			 East Midlands Grovewood Burton and South Derbyshire 
			 East Midlands Burtoft Boston 
			 East Land North of Harlow Harlow 
			 East Easton Park Uttlesford 
			 East The Cambridge Light Railway and Cambridge Heath, a sustainable country town Cambridge 
			 East North Weald Epping Forest 
			 East Boxted Wood Eco Town Braintree/Uttlesford 
			 East Alconbury Airfield Huntingdonshire 
			 East Marks Tey Colchester/ Braintree 
			 East Peterborough EcoTown Peterborough 
			 East Thorpe Wood Broadlands 
			 East Tilbury Thurrock 
			 East Mereham New Community East Cambridgeshire 
			 East Sculthorpe Airfield South Cambridgeshire 
			 East Waterbeach (Denny St. Francis) Cambridgeshire 
			 East Thurleigh North Bedford/ Mid-Bedford 
			 East Thamesgate Thurrock 
			 North East Causey Park Gateshead 
			 North East Stockton Eco Town Stockton-on-Tees 
			 North East Cambois North Tyneside 
			 North West Wardle Crewe and Nantwich 
			 North West Eco-Town Carrington Trafford 
			 North West Derwent Forest Allerdale 
			 South East Airtrack Rail Bracknell Forest/Wokingham 
			 South East Redhill Aerodrome Tandridge District, Reigate and Banstead 
			 South East Dunsfold Park Waverley 
			 South East Sittingbourne Swale 
			 South East Greenway Aylesbury Vale 
			 South East Micheldever Station Market Town (MSMT) Winchester 
			 South East Shipton Eco-town Cherwell 
			 South East The Surrey/London borders EcoTown Reigate and Banstead 
			 South East Westcott Aylesbury Vale 
			 West Midlands The Throckmorton Airfield Sustainable Community Wychavon 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside(1) Clifton Gate York 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside(1) The Stainforth and Hatfield Eco Town Initiative Doncaster 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside(1) Thorp Arch Leeds 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside(1) Willow Green Selby 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside Micklefield Leeds 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside(1) The Greens Leeds 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside(1) Darringfield Wakefield 
			 (1 )A further review of locations is taking place in Rushcliffe and in Leeds city region as set out in the consultation document.

Eco-Towns: Public Participation

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the Stage 2 and Stage 3 consultation procedures for eco-towns, what opportunities there will be for members of the public to participate in the consultation process; and what level of detail relating to each proposal will be available at each stage.

Caroline Flint: There will be considerable opportunity for public consultation at Stage 2 of the eco-towns consultation procedures, as there is currently during Stage 1. Over the next three months we are consulting on preliminary views on eco-town benefits and the shortlisted locations, as set out in the consultation document Eco-townsLiving a greener future. Bidders are publicising further details of schemes and holding consultation events, with input from local authorities. The arrangements will vary according to the location and the status of the schemes being developed. My Department will also be commissioning exhibition and consultation events about the eco-towns concept and the proposals in the consultation paper.
	At Stage 2 we will publishfor further consultationa draft Eco-towns Policy Statement and a draft Sustainability Appraisal which will set out more detail for each location.
	Stage 3 of the process, as set out in Eco-townsLiving a greener future, will be the stage at which we publish the final list of locations with potential to be an eco-town and the final Eco-towns Policy Statement. After this it will be for individual schemes on the final shortlist to come forward with planning applications.

Energy Performance Certificates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many energy performance certificates (EPCs) have been recorded on the EPC register; and how many home condition reports (HCRs) have been recorded on the HCR register.

Caroline Flint: As of 29 April 2008 there are 645,045 Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and 1,776 Home Condition Reports (HCRs) stored in the Domestic EPC and HCR Registers for Dwellings.

Energy Performance Certificates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what  (a) data fields and  (b) property attributes are held on the (i) Energy Performance Certificate and (ii) Home Condition Report register.

Caroline Flint: The data fields and property attributes that are held on the (Domestic) Energy Performance Certificate and Home Condition Report Registers for dwellings, are defined in the document entitled, Technical Standards Enumerated Values. This document forms part of the Certification and Accreditation Scheme Technical Standards and can be found on the Communities and Local Government website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/enumerated-values

Fire Safety: Construction Methods

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 27 March 2008,  Official Report, column 397W, on fire safety: construction methods, if she will meet the Association of British Insurers to discuss section 4.4 of its Technical Briefing on Fire Performance of Sandwich Panel Systems (2003) and the combustibility of composite core panels which have passed the insurance industry standard LPS 1181.

Iain Wright: The Association of British Insurers' Technical Briefing and the LPS 1181 test standard are not utilised within the guidance that supports the fire safety aspects of the Building Regulations or the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order and they are not of direct relevance to the Department's work. No such meeting, therefore, is needed at this time.

Fire Safety: Warehouses

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations she has received on the use of sprinklers as fire resistors in warehousing facilities; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The recent review of the fire safety aspects of the building regulations looked at the case for sprinklers in warehouses. We undertook supporting research on the issue and a full public consultation. Following consultation, it was decided that a limit for the maximum unsprinklered compartment size for single storey warehouses should be set at 20,000m(2) and/or a height of 18m where previously no such limit existed. This new maximum compartment size was included in the 2006 edition of Approved Document B which came into effect in April 2007.
	Since then we have had a number of representations suggesting that this maximum compartment size should be reduced such that smaller warehouse buildings would also be provided with sprinkler protection. However, we have no plans to revisit this part of the building regulations in the near future.

Heating: EC Law

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on the proposed labelling of heating systems in the Energy-using Products Directive.

Iain Wright: Communities and Local Government officials are in ongoing discussions about the proposed labelling of heating systems in the energy-using products directive with their opposite numbers in the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Officials are also in discussion with counterparts in the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs who are leading negotiations on the Directive with the European Commission.

Housing

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been  (a) built, (b) placed on sale and  (c) sold through (i) Social HomeBuy, (ii) New Build HomeBuy, (iii) Open Market HomeBuy and (iv) the First Time Buyer Initiative in each region in England since 1st April 2006.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 8 May 2008
	The following tables show the homes provided for 2006-08 by region for Social HomeBuy, Open Market HomeBuy, New Build HomeBuy and the First Time Buyers Initiative.
	
		
			  Social HomeBuy 
			   Sold 
			 North-east 9 
			 North-west 38 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 18 
			 East midlands 5 
			 West midlands 6 
			 East 4 
			 London 103 
			 South-east 22 
			 South-west 2 
			 Total 207 
			  Note: Social HomeBuy is a demand led product for social tenants to buy their own home. Some participating landlords are offering the scheme widely across their stock. Others are targeting specific estates, locations or local authority areas. We estimate that the pilot scheme which ran from April 2006 to March 2008 and resulted in 207 sales was offered across 5 per cent. of social stock.  Source: Housing Corporation Investment Management System 
		
	
	
		
			  Open Market HomeBuy 
			   Sold 
			 North-east 12 
			 North-west 255 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 128 
			 East midlands 122 
			 West midlands 282 
			 East 732 
			 London 1,615 
			 South-east 1,808 
			 South-west 429 
			 Total 5,383 
			  Note: Open Market HomeBuy enables purchasers to buy on the Open Market.  Source: Housing Corporation Investment Management System 
		
	
	
		
			   Provided( 1)  Placed on sale( 2) 
			 North-east 206 206 
			 North-west 1,629 1,629 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 696 696 
			 East midlands 2,111 2,111 
			 West midlands 1,990 1,990 
			 East 2,981 2,981 
			 London 8,335 8,335 
			 South-east 5,819 5,819 
			 South-west 2,142 2,142 
			 Total 25,909 25,909 
			 (1) This can be both new build and acquisition and refurbishment. (2) Placed on sale means that RSLs have completed the home and the final grant payment has been made. The Corporation's Investment Management System does not have comprehensive information on which properties have been sold by region for each RSL.  Source: Housing Corporation Investment Management System 
		
	
	
		
			  First time buyers initiative/London wide initiative 
			   Provided( 1)  Placed on sale( 2)  Sold( 3) 
			 North-east 104 69 24 
			 North-west 359 253 48 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 116 116 92 
			 East midlands 157 144 0 
			 West midlands 257 189 126 
			 East 237 162 23 
			 London 770 627 240 
			 South-east 529 444 251 
			 South-west 304 304 95 
			 Total 2,741 2,216 827 
			 (1) Provided means: contracted i.e. a legal agreement has been completed with a house builder or RSL to deliver a target number of FTBI homes. (2) Placed on sale means: the house builder/RSL and HomeBuy Agent market the homes. There is often a time lag between completion of the legal agreement and marketing because homes cannot be offered for sale if the expected time between exchange of contracts and sale completion is more than 12 months. The majority of FTBI homes are sold off-plan. (3) Sold means: First Time Buyer sales completions. This excludes reservations and exchange of contracts. Details of the latter categories can be provided if requested.  Source: English Partnerships

Housing

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average equity in  (a) percentage and  (b) cash terms purchased by a homeowner under the (a) Social Market Homebuy, (b) New Build Homebuy and (c) Open Market Homebuy schemes has been since each such scheme was established.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is only available for 2006-07 and is in the following table. For social homebuy and new build homebuy sales, the table shows the average equity purchased by the homeowner.
	
		
			  Average equity purchased by the homeowner in percentage and cash terms, 2006-07 
			  Type of sale  Average equity purchased (Percentage)  Average equity purchased (£) 
			 New Build Homebuy 47 79,446 
			 Social Homebuy 56 120,372 
		
	
	For open market homebuy sales where the purchaser buys 100 per cent. of the property with the help of an equity loan, the following table shows the average equity loan provided to the homeowner.
	
		
			  Average equity loan provided to the homeowner in percentage and cash terms, 2006-07 
			  Type of sale  Average equity loan provided (Percentage)  Average equity loan provided (£) 
			 Open Market Homebuy 22 32,003 
			  Source: CORE new sales log.

Housing: Low Incomes

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons the outcome of the shared-equity competition was restricted to a single mortgage lender.

Caroline Flint: It is not the case that the Housing Corporations National Affordable Housing Programme (2008-11) Open Market HomeBuy products are restricted to a single mortgage lender.
	There are two products available providing equity loans of up to 50 per cent. enabling individuals to purchase a home on the open market. Purchasers through MyChoice HomeBuy can select a mortgage from participating lenders and purchasers through Ownhome can choose from the full range of Co-op mortgage products, and can re- mortgage with another qualifying lending institution, in accordance with the terms of the initial mortgage agreement.
	I recently met with the Council of Mortgage Lenders who assured me that they will continue to support the availability of products compatible with shared equity schemes and of their commitment to ensuring the market remained open and competitive for first-time buyers, within the constraints of the wider financial market environment.

Housing: Regional Planning and Development

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to designate further Growth Points.

Caroline Flint: A second round of the growth point programme was announced in the Housing Green Paper in July 2007. We have received nearly 30 expressions of interest for additional growth points, which are currently being assessed.

Housing: Renewable Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  for what reasons she has struck out the requirement for 10 per cent. on-site renewable energy in all major new developments from the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Spatial Strategy;
	(2)  what her Departments assessment is of the effect of ending the application of the existing Merton rule in the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Spatial Strategy on those individual local planning authorities wishing to use the rule;
	(3)  what her reasons were for not accepting the independent panel's recommendations that Yorkshire and the Humber should have a minimum region-wide 10 per cent. on-site renewables planning requirement for all major new developments.

Parmjit Dhanda: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 15 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 806-61W, which confirmed that, as we gear up to our zero carbon ambition, councils will be able to continue with and adopt new Merton rules, although it is important that they are properly tested as part of development plan documents (DPDs).
	The reasons for the Secretary of States proposed changes to the Yorkshire and the Humber Assemblys draft revised Regional Spatial Strategy are set out in the published schedule. This is available on the Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humbers website at:
	http://www.gos.gov.uk/goyh/plan/regplan/propchanges/
	The consultation on the proposed changes closes on 21 December 2007. Representations received are being considered carefully in finalising the revised RSS which we intend to publish soon.

Local Authorities: Housing

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance she has issued to local authorities on their strategic roles in housing in changing market conditions.

Iain Wright: As part of their statutory responsibilities we expect local authorities to provide advice and assistance to households threatened with homelessness. We are providing homelessness grant to all councils in England totalling £150 million over the next three years.
	All local authorities should be supporting their local money advice agencies to advise people on how they can avoid getting into unnecessary debt. Local authorities will negotiate with individual lenders on a case by case basis where repossession is threatened. We are also working with local authorities to ensure that Court Desk sendees are available to people facing repossession action so that they have legal representation on the day. These areas of work are covered in Preventing Homelessness: A Strategy Health Check which we published in September 2006 as a toolkit for local authorities, and continue to use in our work to support local authorities in implementing their local homelessness strategies.
	We aim to publish guidance to local authorities about the local authority strategic housing role later in the year, encouraging local authorities to assess and plan for the current and future housing needs of the local population across all tenures. This guidance will supplement the capacity building support that we have funded the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) to provide to help local authorities deliver their strategic housing role.

Local Authorities: Manpower

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information her Department holds on the number of people employed by each local authority who have a learning disability.

John Healey: Information on the number of people employed by each local authority who have a learning disability is not held centrally.

Regional Planning and Development: Canvey Island

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received on the economic impact of the Canvey Island Seafront Improvement scheme.

Caroline Flint: The case for the Canvey regeneration area has been subject to Her Majestys Treasurys Green Book appraisal. A number of studies provided evidence to support the improvements, which are part of a wider programme for regenerating Castle Point within the Thames Gateway.

Regional Planning and Development: Eco-Towns

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the homes provided in eco-town developments are to be included in the local authority's allocation under the regional spatial strategies.

Caroline Flint: As set out in the consultation document Eco-townsLiving a greener future we expect eco-towns to contribute significantly to help to meet those revised targets for additional housing and we want to assure local authorities, which include an eco-town in their future housing plans that it will, of course, count towards those future housing targets, which in most places are likely to be more stretching. The Housing Green Paper made clear that the housing numbers in existing and in some cases emerging plans were not high enough to address the pressing problem of long-term housing need and affordability. We are therefore aiming to complete a further set of Regional Spatial Strategy partial reviews by 2011 that will include revised housing numbers for local planning authorities that are consistent with our national aim to deliver 240,000 homes per year by 2016.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Admiralty House

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 21 April 2008,  Official Report, column 1692W, on Admiralty House: official residences, what payments have been made from the public purse in respect of damage to the Admiralty House residences since 2001.

Phil Hope: The Cabinet Office is not aware of any such damage

Departmental Equality

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  whether the Cabinet Office met the Civil Service diversity targets set out on page 51 of Cabinet Office Annual Report 2007 by April 2008;
	(2)  whether the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons met the Civil Service diversity targets by April 2008, as set out in the Cabinet Office Annual Report 2007, page 51.

Edward Miliband: The office of the Leader of the House of Commons forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	The latest published statistics against overall civil service targets were at October 2007. The statistics can be viewed on the civil service website at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/diversity/monitoring.asp
	and copies have been placed in the Library of the House for the reference of Members. The final measurement against the targets will be published in autumn 2008.
	The Cabinet Office's progress against these targets will be published in its departmental annual report.

Departmental ICT

Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many  (a) mobile telephones,  (b) personal digital assistants and  (c) laptop computers issued to his staff were reported (i) lost, (ii) missing and (iii) stolen in each year since 2001.

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many of his Department's personal digital assistants were  (a) lost and  (b) stolen in each of the last five years; and what the value of those items was.

Phil Hope: Cabinet Office central records show the numbers of mobile phones, personal digital assistants and laptop computers issued to staff and reported lost, missing and stolen in each year since 2001 are as follows:
	
		
			   Mobile phones  PDAs  Laptops 
			 2001 0 0 1 
			 2002 2 0 0 
			 2003 3 0 9 
			 2004 1 1 6 
			 2005 1 2 1 
			 2006 8 0 0 
			 2007 6 1 3 
		
	
	The value of the personal digital assistants lost and stolen is £1,186.06.

Employment: Wales

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people were employed in each parliamentary constituency in Wales in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2007, ranked in order of percentage change in the number employed.

Phil Hope: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 19 May 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people were employed in each parliamentary constituency in Wales in (a) 1997 and (b) 2007, each constituency being ranked in order of percentage change in the number employed.
	The Office for National Statistics compiles employment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
	Table 1, attached, shows estimates of the total number of employed, for Welsh parliamentary constituencies. Estimates are obtained for the 12 month period ending in February 1997 from the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS). For the 12 month period ending March 2007 estimates have been provided from the Annual Population Survey (APS).
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in a small geographical area, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Table 1: number of people employed age 16+ in Welsh parliamentary constituencies 1997 and 2007 
			  
			   12 months ending  
			   February 1997  (T housand)  March 2007  ( T housand)  Percentage change between 1997 and 2007 
			 Caernarfon 24 33 38 
			 Delyn 26 33 31 
			 Ynys-Mon 23 30 29 
			 Clwyd West 26 34 29 
			 Vale of Clwyd 23 29 27 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 37 45 21 
			 Wrexham 28 34 21 
			 Swansea West 25 30 22 
			 Carmarthen East and Dinefwr 28 34 20 
			 Aberavon 22 26 19 
			 Clwyd South 30 35 18 
			 Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire 25 29 17 
			 Islwyn 25 29 16 
			 Caerphilly 33 38 16 
			 Llanelli 27 31 14 
			 Bridgend 33 37 14 
			 Newport East 32 36 13 
			 Swansea East 31 35 13 
			 Cardiff North 39 44 11 
			 Preseli Pembrokeshire 30 33 10 
			 Cynon Valley 22 25 11 
			 Rhondda 26 29 9 
			 Ceredigion 31 33 9 
			 Pontypridd 40 43 8 
			 Gower 32 35 7 
			 Blaenau Gwent 26 28 7 
			 Newport West 34 37 6 
			 Brecon and Radnorshire 30 32 6 
			 Monmouth 36 38 6 
			 Montgomeryshire 28 29 6 
			 Cardiff West 35 36 2 
			 Conwy 28 28 0 
			 Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney 29 29 -2 
			 Alyn and Deeside 42 41 -2 
			 Cardiff Central 35 34 -2 
			 Cardiff South and Penarth 37 36 -3 
			 Neath 32 30 -6 
			 Torfaen 38 36 -6 
			 Ogmore 34 28 -20 
			 Meirionnydd Nant Conwy 20 15 -22 
			  Source: Annual Labour Force Survey/Annual Population Survey

Migration

James Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what contribution net migration made to population change in the UK in each five year period since 1987.

Phil Hope: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated May 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question asking what contribution net migration made to population change in the UK in each five year period since 1987. (205789)
	The table below shows the contribution of net migration and natural change to population change for the UK for each five year period since 1987.
	
		
			  Contribution of net migration and natural change to population change for the UK for five-year periods from year ending mid-1987 to year ending mid-2006 
			   1987-1991  1992-96  1997-2001  2002-06 
			 Total net migration and    932,999 
			  79,571 143,112 532,652  
			 Other changes(1, 2)    12,424 
			  
			 Total natural change 675,252 582,604 416,471 528,429 
			  
			 Total population change 754,823 725,716 949,123 1,473,852 
			 (1) It is not possible to separately identify and split net migration and other changes in the years up to 2001. For 2002-06 net migration and other changes are shown separately.  (2) Other changes primarily include changes in the number of armed forces and dependants resident in the area and also (for years up to and including 2001) a factor to ensure that population change over the intercensal period agrees with estimates derived from the Census.   Source:  Office for National Statistics, General Register Office for Scotland, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

Population

James Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what projections of population density for  (a) the UK,  (b) England,  (c) Scotland,  (d) Wales and  (e) Northern Ireland in 2056 and beyond have been made.

Phil Hope: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated May 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question asking what projections have been made of population density for  (a) the UK,  (b) England,  (c) Scotland,  (d) Wales and  (e) Northern Ireland in 2056 and beyond. (205787)
	Projected population densities can be calculated for any year from the published projected total population for that year and the area of the country. Projected densities for the year 2056, and country areas, are given in the table below.
	National population projections are published for up to 75 years ahead and are available from the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=8519
	However, long-term projections should be treated with great caution. Population projections become increasingly uncertain the further they are carried forward, and particularly so for smaller geographic areas.
	
		
			  Projected population density of UK and constituent countries in 2056 
			   Projected population (million)  Area (sq km )  Density (persons/s q  km ) 
			 United Kingdom 79 242,495 324 
			 England 68 130,279 521 
			 Wales 3 20,733 165 
			 Scotland 5 77,907 67 
			 Northern Ireland 2 13,576 53 
			  Source:  2006-based national projections, ONS.

Private Sector: Pensions

Joan Walley: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many private contractors providing public services have provided a contracted out, final-salary based defined benefit pension scheme or a defined contribution scheme to new starters working on those contracts;
	(2)  how many private contractors providing public services have stakeholder pension schemes for new starters on those contracts;
	(3)  how many private contractors providing public services who have stakeholder pension schemes for new starters on those contracts match employee contributions of more than six per cent.

Phil Hope: The information requested is not held centrally. Where public services contracts involve a transfer of staff from a public sector organisation to a private sector service provider (or a subsequent retender of that contract where TUPE applies), the Code of Practice on Workforce Matters in Public Sector Service Contracts may apply. This code does not apply across the whole of the public sector: local government has a separate code.
	Where the Code of Practice on Workforce Matters does apply, it will be for the relevant Government Department to monitor the implementation of the code, including in relation to pensions provision by service providers.

Pupils: English Language

James Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what projections for future years have been made by the Office for National Statistics of  (a) the number and  (b) the proportion of schoolchildren with (i) one or both parents who were born abroad and (ii) English as a second language.

Phil Hope: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated May 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question regarding what projections for future years have been made of (a) the number and (b) the proportion of schoolchildren with (i) one or both parents who were born abroad and (ii) English as a second language. (206272)
	Population projections are not made on the basis of country of birth. Neither have projections been made of those who have English as a second language.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

BBC: Standards

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the implementation by the BBC Trust of the six purpose remits established in the 2006 Agreement between the Secretary of State and the British Broadcasting Corporation;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the implementation by the BBC Trust of the purpose remit relating to citizenship and civil society established in the 2006 Agreement between the Secretary of State and the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Andy Burnham: Under the terms of the BBC Charter and Agreement, the BBC Trust is responsible for reviewing purpose remits.

BBC: Standards

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the guidelines designed to secure appropriate standards in the content of the UK public services are, as required under the 2006 Agreement between the Secretary of State and the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Andy Burnham: Under the terms of the Charter and Agreement, it is the responsibility of the BBC Trust to approve guidelines designed to secure appropriate standards in the content of the BBCs services.

BBC: Standards

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what agreements between the BBC and Ofcom under clause 92 of the 2006 Agreement between the Secretary of State and the British Broadcasting Corporation are in force.

Andy Burnham: Under the terms of the BBC Charter and Agreement, agreements between the BBC and Ofcom are the responsibility of those two parties.

Convergence Think Tank

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who the members of the Convergence Think Tank are; what its terms of reference are; and on what dates it has met since its establishment.

Andy Burnham: The term Convergence Think Tank (CTT) denotes the project rather than a group of individuals. Its objectives are to:
	consider the opportunities and challenges facing a converged broadcasting, telecommunications and new media market;
	highlight areas where the Government can do more to promote the development of the market and innovation and growth, as well as empowering and protecting consumers;
	consider the future form and provision of public service content, building on the outputs from the Ofcom review of public service broadcasting which is currently under way;
	actively engage in debate with key stakeholders; and
	draw conclusions with a view to informing Government decisions on future policy development, including the case for any future legislative changes.
	The work of the CTT is guided by a steering group of senior representatives from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and HM Treasury, and the four independent CTT advisors, Robin Foster, Chris Earnshaw, Tess Read and John Willis; Ofcom representatives attend as independent observers. The Steering group has met on 28 January, 18 February, 6 March, 25 March and 28 April this year. In addition, the first three in a series of CTT seminars were held on 7 February, 18 March and 22 April.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many receptions he has hosted and funded in his capacity as Secretary of State in the last 12 months; which individuals and organisations  (a) were invited to and  (b) attended each reception; and what the cost was of each reception.

Andy Burnham: An annual list providing information relating to official receptions hosted by Ministers in this Department during the course of the previous financial year will be published in due course.

Departmental Public Participation

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost was of each public consultation held by his Department in the last three years.

Margaret Hodge: The Department spent £38,270 on consultation exercises in financial year 2005-06. These were:
	The 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its two Protocols of 1954 and 1999;
	The BBC Charter Review Green Paper - A strong BBC, independent of government;
	Consultation Paper on a Cultural Test for British Films;
	National Lottery Shares 2009 Consultation.
	We spent £53,496 on printed consultations in 2006-07. These consultations were:
	Welcome>Legacy: A Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Gamesa Consultation;
	Understanding the Future: Priorities for Englands Museums;
	Heritage Protection for the 21(st) CenturyWhite Paper.
	These figures do not include the costs of any public meetings or research associated with consultations or the staffing costs of carrying out online web consultations. In financial year 2007-08 all consultations were web-based.

Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how many occasions he has visited Essex in the last 12 months.

Andy Burnham: In the last 12 months, Ministers in this Department have visited Essex three times.
	All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.

Football

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of support for grassroots football; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department has not made a recent assessment of the adequacy of support for grassroots football but, on 7 May, we announced a new three year funding deal with the Football Foundation. We will continue to provide £15 million each year to the Foundation matched by The Football Association and the Premier League.
	Since its creation in July 2000, the Football Foundation has invested in over 5,000 projects worth £650 million and it is the country's largest funder of grassroots football.

London Airports

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many times his Department hired VIP facilities at  (a) Heathrow,  (b) Gatwick,  (c) Luton and  (d) Stansted airports in each month since May 2006; and what the expenditure on VIP facilities at each was in each of those months.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information relating to expenditure incurred on VIP facilities since May 2006 at Heathrow is set out in the following table. There is no record of similar expenditure incurred at either Gatwick, Luton or Stansted airports.
	
		
			  Period  Number of times VIP service used  Expenditure (£) 
			  2006   
			 May 1 269.63 
			 June 5 1,348.14 
			 July 2 539.25 
			 August 0 0 
			 September 1 269.63 
			 October 2 977.60 
			 November 2 539.25 
			 December 2 539.25 
			
			  2007   
			 January 3 808.88 
			 February 0 0 
			 March 2 539.25 
			 April 1 269.63 
			 May 4 1,078.51 
			 June 1 269.63 
			 July 0 0 
			 August 0 0 
			 September 2 539.25 
			 October 1 269.63 
			 November 0 0 
			 December 0 0 
			
			  2008   
			 January 0 0 
			 February 0 0 
			 March 0 0 
			 April 0 0

National Lottery: Tickets

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many National Lottery tickets were sold in each month since November 2006.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Camelot does not report the number of National Lottery tickets sold. However, it does report total National Lottery sales on a monthly basis and these can be found in the following table.
	
		
			  Month  Sales (£ million) 
			  2006  
			 November 450.7 
			 December 459.5 
			  2007  
			 January 359.4 
			 February 384.6 
			 March 453.4 
			 April 354.1 
			 May 361.7 
			 June 447.6 
			 July 362.1 
			 August 364.5 
			 September 488.4 
			 October 374.1 
			 November 405.8 
			 December 471.0 
			  2008  
			 January 419.4 
			 February 435.8 
		
	
	Figures are based on weekly sales which do not necessarily coincide with the exact start and end days of the calendar month.
	Additional comments: in line with lotteries around the world, monthly fluctuations in sales occur as a result of rollovers, jackpot sizes and seasonal variations.

Olympic Games 2012: Marketing

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding the Government are providing to promote Great Britain in the lead-up to the 2012 Olympics; and who is responsible for the strategy for promotional expenditure.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 29 April 2008
	The promotion of Britain in the context of the 2012 Games involves a number of Government Departments and other organisations, working in partnership with the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games. This includes DCMS, the FCO, DBERR, and the British Council. It includes a wide range of events such as the British presence at the Beijing Games, and other activities and programmes by UK organisations and networks at home and overseas.
	Part of the grants available by DCMS to VisitBritain and the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) will support Games-related tourism marketing and promotion over the period 2008-12.
	VisitBritain will receive £133.3 million over the next three years for its work in international and domestic matters.
	The RDAs outside London spent £29.8 million on tourism support in 2006-07, of which £3.6 million was from DCMS. They will receive £10.2 million from DCMS in the next three years. The London Development Agency spent £22 million on tourism support in 2006-07, of which £1.9 million was from DCMS, via the Greater London Authority.
	The strategic context for tourism marketing and promotion was set out in the DCMS Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Games, which was published last September. VisitBritain is presently preparing the details of the operational tourism marketing plan for the Games, but other organisations will also play their part in ensuring a successful boost to tourism from hosting the Olympic Games.

S4C: Al-Jazeera Satellite Television

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he has had discussions with S4C on the effect of its joint production with Al-Jazeera on its public service broadcasting obligations.

Andy Burnham: I have had no discussions with S4C on the effect of its joint production with Al Jazeera on its public service broadcasting obligations.

Sports: Females

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the percentage of girls and women who regularly participate in sport and physical activity.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department commissions, in partnership with several of its NDPBs, the Taking Part survey which is a continuous household survey providing national data on participation in culture, leisure and sport by adults aged 16 and over. The latest available data are from July 2006 to July 2007.
	Taking Part data show that 46 per cent. of women had participated in an active sport at least once during the previous four weeks prior to completing the survey. It also shows that 18 per cent. of women had participated in moderate intensity level sport for at least 30 minutes on at least three separate days during the week prior to completing the survey. Information about the definitions can be found in Progress report on PSA3: Final estimates from year two at:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/Reference_library/Publications/archive_2007/takingpart_estyr2.htm
	A child survey was appended to the main survey from January 2006 and, in households containing at least one child aged 11 to 15, an interview was sought with a randomly selected child. Data from the first year of the child survey show that 92 per cent. of girls aged 11 to 15 had participated in an active sport during the previous four weeks prior to completing the survey, and 82 per cent. of girls had participated in this way outside school lessons.
	Almost two-thirds of girls had participated in an active sport outside school lessons in the week prior to completing the survey (63 per cent.).

Sports: Israel

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he has  (a) taken and  (b) plans to take to improve sporting links between the United Kingdom and Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have not taken, nor do I plan to take, any special steps to improve sporting links with Israel. There are no barriers to organisations in the UK and Israel forming sporting relations and I am aware that there have been and will be sporting relations between our two countries and I welcome this.

Sports: Schools

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding from  (a) the National Lottery and  (b) his Department was spent on (i) school sport, (ii) the Physical Education, School Sport and Club Links (PESSCL) strategy and (iii) community sport excluding money allocated through PESSCL in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have been informed by Sport England that funding was as follows:
	
		
			  (i) School Sport 
			   Exchequer  Lottery  Total 
			 1997-98 0 27,561,428 27,561,428 
			 1998-99 0 50,388,919 50,388,919 
			 1099-2000 1,432,000 34,278,425 35,710,425 
			 2000-01 1,522,000 53,524,035 55,046,035 
			 2001-02 7,190000 162,134,939 169,324,939 
			 2002-03 16,899,000 65,671,181 85,570,181 
			 2003-04 2,241,663 21,121,254 23,362,917 
			 2004-05 2,310,440 27,612,132 29,922,572 
			 2005-06 327,500 10,394,542 10,722,042 
			 2006-07 72,500 2,569,359 2,641,859 
			 2007-08 227,125 1,430,332 1,657,457 
		
	
	
		
			  (ii) PESSCL 
			   Exchequer 
			 1997-98 0 
			 1998-99 0 
			 1999-2000 0 
			 2000-01 0 
			 2001-02 0 
			 2002-03 0 
			 2003-04 415,331 
			 2004-05 7,817,183 
			 2005-06 9,478,075 
			 2006-07 8,185,981 
			 2007-08 8,834,367 
		
	
	
		
			  (iii)  Community Sport 
			   Exchequer  Lottery  Total 
			 1997-98 19,085,000 189,225,255 208,310,255 
			 1998-99 17,005,000 320,705,276 337,710,276 
			 1999-2000 19,520,000 132,623,754 152,143,754 
			 2000-01 22,668,000 205,921,568 228,589,568 
			 2001-02 22,829,000 386,719,865 409,548,865 
			 2002-03 45,493,991 167,712,399 213,206,390 
			 2003-04 17,475,000 129,294,942 146,769,942 
			 2004-05 38,996,010 166,974,902 205,970,912 
			 2005-06 47,870,861 82,698,275 130,569,136 
			 2006-07 82,451,233 33,402,957 115,854,190 
			 2007-08 79,419,745 89,993,158 169,412,903

Sports: Schools

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding from  (a) the national lottery and  (b) his Department has been allocated to (i) school sport, (ii) the Physical Education, School Sport and Club Links (PESSCL) strategy and (iii) community sport excluding money allocated through PESSCL for each year during the period 2008-09 to 2010-11.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have been informed by Sport England that projected funding is as follows:
	 (i) School Sports and (iii) Community Sport
	Sport England is currently in the process of developing and agreeing a new three-year strategy which will determine the budget for School Sports and Community Sport for the next three years. In 2008-09 Sport England expects to spend (please note the lottery figure is a projection):
	
		
			   Exchequer  Lottery  Total 
			 2008-09 86,130,502 125,438,333 203,231,844 
		
	
	 (ii) PESSCL
	The Physical Education, School Sport and Club Links Strategy (PESSCL) has now evolved into the Physical Education and Sport Strategy for Young People (PESSYP). Sport England's role within the PESSYP strategy is to increase quality and quantity provisions within a community setting.
	
		
			   Exchequer 
			 2008-09 22,836,489 
			 2009-10 21,836,498 
			 2010-11 24,336,498

Television: Licensing

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the merits of proposals to allocate a proportion of licence fee receipts to other broadcasters.

Andy Burnham: The Government have as yet made no such assessment. The work of the Convergence Think Tank (CTT) will include a review of the future financial and institutional framework for the delivery of public service content. The CTT will report its conclusions early in 2009, building on the recommendations of Ofcoms current review of public service broadcasting.

Television: Telephone Services

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the rules governing broadcasters use of premium rate telephone services in viewer competitions and voting; whether he plans to review them; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: I welcome the recent investigations into the compliance of premium rate services on television programmesand the strengthening of regulation in this area. These reviews and investigations have been thorough and wide ranging and further investigations are ongoing.
	The Government look to these new measures to provide a framework for effective regulation of this sector, ensuring that the highest standards are operated for all premium rate services and that consumers are fully protected.

Television: Telephone Services

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the Ofcom inquiry into the use of premium rate services in television programming.

Andy Burnham: The inquiry is a matter for Ofcom. They are independent of Government and it would be inappropriate for me to make an assessment of Ofcoms areas of responsibility.

Television: Telephone Services

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will ask Ofcom to refer its case files on recent cases of television broadcaster misconduct in the use of premium rate telephone services in viewer competitions and voting to the Serious Fraud Office.

Andy Burnham: This is a matter for Ofcom, and the hon. Gentleman might like to raise the issue with them direct.

Tourism: Chelsea Flower Show

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if he will seek discussions with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on arrangements for securing the future of the Chelsea Flower Show as a major tourist attraction; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether he has had discussions with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on the future of the Chelsea Flower Show as a major tourist event.

Margaret Hodge: The Chelsea Flower Show is a popular tourist attraction and will continue to be one for both domestic and international visitors.
	I have no plans to meet with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government or representatives of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on this matter.

JUSTICE

Airguns: Crime

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average fine has been of people fined on conviction for remote selling or hiring of an air weapon over the internet in each month since the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 came into effect.

David Hanson: Selling a weapon by way of trade or business when transaction not face to face became an offence under section 32 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act.
	This section of the Act came into effect on 1 October 2007.
	Statistics for 2007 will be published in the autumn.

Airguns: Crime

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average fine has been of people convicted of possession of an air gun or imitation firearm in a public place without legal authority or reasonable excuse in each year since the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 came into effect.

David Hanson: The requested information is contained in the following table:
	
		
			  Average fine amounts imposed for possession of an air gun or imitation firearm in a public place( 1) , all courts, England and Wales, 2004-06 
			  £ 
			  Offence description  2004  2005  2006 
			 Carrying a loaded or unloaded imitation firearm or air weapon in public place 126 152 85 
			 (1 )Data are given since the relevant section of the Anti-social Behaviour Act came into effect on 20 January 2004.   Note:  These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.   Source:  OMS, Analytical Services. 
		
	
	Statistics for 2007 will be published in the autumn.

Bail Accommodation and Support Service: Gloucestershire

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners are housed in bail hostels in Gloucestershire.

David Hanson: I understand this question to refer to the bail accommodation and support service. These are not bail hostels. The service provides accommodation in flats and houses with up to five people sharing, and support for users. As at 15 May there were two defendants and one offender at the end of sentence in the service in Gloucestershire, where there is provision for five people.

Cannabis: Misuse

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were  (a) proceeded against,  (b) found guilty and  (c) imprisoned for dealing in cannabis in each of the last five years, broken down by age.

Jack Straw: The number of people proceeded against at magistrates courts for dealing in cannabis and subsequently found guilty at all courts, and sentenced to immediate custody broken down by certain age groups in England and Wales for the years 2002 to 2006 can be viewed in the following table.
	These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Court proceedings data for 2007 will be available in the autumn of 2008.
	
		
			  N umber of people proceeded against at magistrates courts for dealing in cannabis and found guilty at all courts, and sentenced to immediate custody broken down by certain age groups in England and Wales for the years 2002 - 06( 1,)( )( 2,)( )( 3,)( )( 4) 
			  Age group  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  Proceeded against  
			 10-17 282 275 224 239 191 
			 18-20 485 565 413 480 418 
			 21 and over 1,778 1,950 1,505 1,457 1,607 
			 Total 2,545 2,790 2,142 2,176 2,216 
			  Found guilty  
			 10-17 205 198 182 180 152 
			 18-20 339 386 313 308 269 
			 21 and over 1,436 1,408 1,208 898 921 
			 Total 1,980 1,992 1,703 1,386 1,342 
			  Sentenced to immediate custody  
			 10-17 14 9 12 11 11 
			 18-20 88 105 74 53 58 
			 21 and over 703 583 490 343 272 
			 Total 805 697 576 407 341 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Data include the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes: Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 Sec 4(3) [Class B Drug]. Supplying or offering to supply (or being concerned in supplying or offering to supply) a controlled drug: Cannabis. Supplying or offering to supply (or being concerned in supplying or offering to supply) a controlled drug Class C Cannabis and Cannabis resin Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Sec.4(3). Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 Sec 5(3) [Class B Drug]. Having possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply: Cannabis. Having possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply Class C Cannabis and Cannabis resin. Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Sec.5(3) (3) Cannabis was reclassified from a class B drug to a class C drug on 29 January 2004. The data in this table include offences relating to cannabis dealing whether reported to the Office for Criminal Justice Reform as a class B or a class C drug. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source:  Court proceedings data held by RDSOffice for Criminal Justice ReformMinistry of Justice

Courts: Speech Impaired

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what  (a) procedures and  (b) protections apply in (i) magistrates courts and (ii) the Crown court for defendants with a severe stammer.

Maria Eagle: The court has a duty to ensure that defendants can fully participate in the proceedings, which will include providing assistance where necessary to those with communication difficulties. This might include, for example, ordering the use of an intermediary to assist the defendant to give evidence. A judicial practice direction was issued on 25 April 2007 giving guidance to the Crown court and magistrates courts on the treatment of vulnerable defendants. The practice direction can be found at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/criminal/procrules_fin/contents/practice_direction/pd_consolidated.htm

Departmental Energy

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department has taken to reduce its energy consumption in the last 12 months; and what his Departments expenditure on energy was in  (a) the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available and  (b) the immediately preceding 12 months.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice was created in May 2007 and has since produced a sustainable development action plan setting out how the estate intends to reach carbon neutral status by 2012. This involves reducing carbon emissions and increasing energy efficiency through sustainable building construction and operation. In addition, both HM prison service and HM courts service have developed BREEAM assessments that enables the procurement of sustainable and energy efficient new builds and major refurbishments.
	The spend on energy in 2006-07 and 2007-08 was as follows:
	
		
			   Spend (£) 
			  2006-07  
			 HM Prison Service 47,454,042 
			 Land Registry 2,738,381 
			 HM Courts Service 18,516,245 
			 Tribunals Service 411,472 
			 HQ 1,645,888 
			 Total spend 70,766,028 
			   
			  2007-08  
			 HM Prison Service 38,945,902 
			 Land Registry 2,404,375 
			 HM Courts Service 20,344,511 
			 Tribunals Service 558,913 
			 HQ 1,341,396 
			 Total spend 63,595,097

Departmental Official Hospitality

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many receptions he has hosted and funded in his capacity as Secretary of State in the last 12 months; which individuals and organisations  (a) were invited to and  (b) attended each reception; and what the cost was of each reception.

Jack Straw: In my capacity as Secretary of State for Justice, in the last 12 months I have hosted six receptions for a range of organisations and groups as follows:
	 4 July 2007
	Reception for Senior Leaders (SCS) from the Ministry of Justice at Selborne House. Cost: £1,265.
	 19 July 2007
	Reception for front line staff of the Ministry of Justice and representatives of a wide variety of statutory, voluntary and charitable organisations, involved in the areas of work of the Ministry at Lancaster House. Cost: £6,200.
	 25 July 2007
	Reception for the media at Selborne House. Cost: £1,340.
	 1 October 2007
	Lord Chancellors breakfast. This is an annual event hosted by the Lord Chancellor to mark the beginning of the Legal Year. Senior Judiciary from the UK and overseas are invited. Cost: £31,250.
	 6 November 2007
	Reception for Senior Judiciary following the State Opening of Parliament. Cost: £1,436.57.
	 15 January 2008
	Reception for the media at Selborne House. Cost: £960.

Electoral Register

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will make it his policy to identify on electoral registers the person in any given household who  (a) completes the electoral registration form and  (b) certifies that the information given is true.

Bridget Prentice: The present system of household registration enables any occupant of a household to complete the prescribed annual canvass form. However, the person completing the form is required to certify that the information they supply is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge by providing a signature and by printing their name. Also electors who complete a rolling registration form on an individual basis are required to sign that form.
	As all completed registration forms are held by the Electoral Registration Officer it is not necessary for details about the person completing the registration form to be identified on the electoral register. If the ERO has doubts about the validity of a persons registration details he may initiate or conduct a review. In addition, any individual may also make an objection to the ERO about another persons registration details at any time. The Electoral Administration Act 2006 also made it an offence to supply false information on an electoral registration form, which is punishable by a prison sentence of up to six months or a fine not exceeding £5,000.

Internet: Privacy

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent action the Government has taken to protect individuals right to privacy when using the internet.

Michael Wills: The use of computerised personal information in the United Kingdom is regulated by the Data Protection Act 1998. The Information Commissioner administers and enforces the Act independently of the Government. His office produces advice for individuals about their rights and guidance for organisations on how to comply with the Act when using personal information and websites. For example, in January 2007 the Information Commissioners Office published a Personal Information Toolkit for the general public; in June 2007 it produced guidance to data controllers about collecting personal information on the internet and in November 2007 it launched a new website to provide tips and advice on safe social networking and to help young people protect their personal information.
	Government have commissioned an independent review to consider whether there should be any changes to the legislation governing data protection. The Data Sharing Review, being conducted by the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, and Dr. Mark Walport, will publish its report in the first half of 2008. The impact of technology was one of the issues covered by the reviews consultation paper and we look forward to seeing the final report. More generally, the Government and the Information Commissioners Office keep legislation under review in light of ever-increasing technological changes in the field of data protection.

Legal Aid Scheme

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many solicitors in each bid zone began providing legal services to clients who required legal aid for  (a) civil law and  (b) criminal law in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many solicitors providing legal services to clients who required legal aid for  (a) civil law and  (b) criminal law there were in each bid zone in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many solicitors in each bid zone ceased providing legal services to clients who required legal aid for  (a) civil law and  (b) criminal law in each of the last five years.

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many solicitors offices provided legal aid to clients in Wales who required legal aid for  (a) civil and  (b) criminal cases in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority.

Maria Eagle: I apologise to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) and the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnorshire (Mr. Williams) for the time that it has taken to respond to their questions. I have now placed the information requested in the House of Commons Library.

Michael Shields

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what  (a) advice he has commissioned on and  (b) response he has made to the recent letter from the government of Bulgaria on the possibility of a pardon for Michael Shields; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Further advice is being sought on Michael Shields case, including on the legal issues involved. I will respond to Mr. Shields representative as soon as I can.
	Arlene McCarthy MEP recently forwarded to me a letter received from the Minister of Justice of Bulgaria and I have responded to her in similar terms to those aforementioned.

Parking Offences

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many parking penalties were issued in each area where local authorities have taken over for the police responsibility for parking enforcement in the 12 months  (a) prior to and  (b) following the changeover.

Maria Eagle: Figures are only available on a calendar year basis and, given the comparison requested, can only be provided by police force area once responsibility for parking enforcement was taken over by all the local authorities within a given area. As a result, the following table provides information for London (Metropolitan and City of London police combined) and a further nine forces.
	
		
			  Total police action( 1)  prior to changeover and total police action plus penalty charge notices issued after changeover( 2)  in respect of offence group obstruction, waiting and parking offences for CJS areas that fully changed over by January 2006 
			  Police force area  Last full calendar year prior to changeover  Total police action within that year  First full calendar year after changeover  Total police action plus penalty charge notices for that year 
			 London(3) 1993 (4)1,224,338 1995 (4)3,410,602 
			 Bedfordshire 1998 34,792 2005 61,177 
			 Cleveland 2002 17,254 2006 30,434 
			 Cumbria 2000 5,978 2004 48,997 
			 Dorset 2000 31,428 2004 79,248 
			 Essex 2000 41,248 2006 118,634 
			 Hertfordshire 1996 (4)61,050 2006 95,870 
			 Kent 1996 (4)50,672 2002 182,589 
			 Lancashire 2002 48,706 2005 108,771 
			 South Yorkshire 2004 19,163 2006 82,763 
			 Total areas  1,534,629  4,219,085 
			 (1) Total police action is the addition of written warnings, fixed penalty notices and court proceedings. (2) Generally, not all local authorities within the aforementioned areas accepted responsibility for parking enforcement at the same time. (3) Metropolitan and City of London police force areas combined. (4) Includes findings of guilt from court proceedings rather than total court proceedings.  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces and local authority areas. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Polling Stations: Disabled

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with the Electoral Commission on the access of people with disabilities to polling stations; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: My Department has regular discussions with the Electoral Commission on a range of electoral issues, including issues concerning the accessibility of the electoral process. The Government are keen to ensure that the electoral process is accessible to all electors. The Electoral Administration Act 2006 extends the duty placed on local authorities to review polling places to ensure that, as far as is reasonable and practicable, they are convenient and accessible for electors. Under the Act, local authorities must carry out a full review of polling places at least every four years, and representations can be made to the Electoral Commission in respect of reviews carried out by local authorities.
	Under the Electoral Administration Act 2006, if certain prescribed persons, e.g. a local councillor, or 30 or more local electors, consider that the designated polling place is not suitable, they can make representations to the Electoral Commission to review the local authoritys decision.

Prison Service: Emergencies

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 6 May 2008,  Official Report, columns 790-1W, on the prison service: emergencies, if he will give details of the operational emergencies declared in the last 36 months which involved bringing into immediate use additional accommodation or places at individual establishments, including  (a) the prison where each emergency was declared,  (b) how many additional places were consequently brought on stream and  (c) what the use and official status of these places were prior to being put into use.

Maria Eagle: The operational emergencies declared in the last 36 months which involved bringing into immediate use additional accommodation or places at individual establishments are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Date  Establishment  Reason for operational emergency  Places 
			 October 2005 Durham Population pressures required the immediate re-opening of out of use accommodation (for refurbishment) on E wing. 131 
			 August 2006 Brockhill Population pressures required the immediate use of accommodation at Brockhill following its conversion from a female to male prison. 12 
			 January 2007 Pentonville Population pressures required the immediate reinstatement of out of use accommodation (for refurbishment) at HMP Pentonville. 116 
			 January 2007 Norwich Population pressures required the immediate reinstatement of out of use accommodation (for refurbishment) at HMP Norwich. 100 
			 March 2007 Wymott Population pressures required the immediate use of additional overcrowding places agreed by the Governor and Area Manager. 16 
			 June 2007 Blakenhurst Population pressures exacerbated by flooding in the area required the immediate use of additional overcrowding places. 20 
			 April 2008 Bullingdon Population pressures required the immediate use of additional overcrowding places. 31 
			 April 2008 Cardiff Population pressures required the immediate use of additional overcrowding places. 15

Prisoners

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the prison population was at the latest date for which figures are available; what proportion of the population this represents; and what bench-marking his Department has undertaken of the proportion of the UK population in prison against equivalent statistics for other EU member states.

David Hanson: Figures showing the numbers of prisoners in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with the total for European Union countries can be found in the following table along with the calculated comparison of prison population per 100,000 against each total.
	
		
			  Country  2006  Rate per 100,000 population in 2006 
			 England and Wales 79,085 147 
			 Northern Ireland 1,433 82 
			 Scotland 7,111 139 
			 European Union 25 556,039 120 
		
	
	The other 24 countries in the EU in 2006 were Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
	These figures are taken from table 8.17 in the Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2006, a copy of which can be found in the House of Common Library. Table 8.17 is a web table and can be found at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prisonand probation.htm
	This table includes comparative data on 44 countries.
	The most recent figure for the prison population of all prison establishments in England and Wales is 81,695 at the end of March 2008 which can be found at the website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/population-in-custody-mar08. pdf
	The equivalent figure, at the end of March 2008, for the prison population of all prison establishments in Scotland is 7,704. Population data can be found at the website:
	http://www.sps.gov.uk/
	The equivalent figure, at the end of March 2008, for the prison population of all prison establishments in Northern Ireland is 1,477. Population data can be found at the website:
	http://www.niprisonservice.gov.uk/index.cfm
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners Release: Overdoses

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many ex-offenders died from a heroin overdose within a fortnight of leaving prison in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: Data showing the number of ex-offenders who died from a heroin overdose within a fortnight of leaving prison are not routinely collected.
	The most recent research evidence from a study which reported in 2005 showed that the drug related death rate for prisoners during the year following release was 5.2 per 1,000 for men and 5.9 per 1,000 for women (Farrell and Marsden, 2005); The rate was much higher immediately after release. In the first week the rate for men was around seven times higher than the annual rate and for women around eight times higher; in the second week, the rates were, respectively, around four times and six and a half times the annual rate.
	A comprehensive drug treatment framework is in place in prisons with a particular focus on reducing drug related deaths including:
	the Integrated Drug Treatment System (IDTS) designed to reduce the risk through the improved quality of clinical treatment;
	harm minimisation advice and throughcare services provided through the Counselling, Advice, Referral and Throughcare services (CARATs) linked to the Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) help to ensure that the continuity of care for offenders is maintained following release from prison into the community; and
	post-custody supervision: a number of initiatives have been put in place to reduce the risk of drug-related death following release from prison.

Secure Training Centres: Labour Turnover

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff  (a) have been appointed to and  (b) resigned from each secure training centre in each year since they were opened.

David Hanson: The available information, provided by the Youth Justice Board, on the number of staff appointed to secure training centres each year and the number leaving, is shown in the table as follows.
	
		
			   1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  Medway Secure Training Centreopened 17 April 1998   
			  Starters   
			 Custody staff n/a 66 40 39 130 135 88 67 101 91 
			 Other n/a 30 17 12 10 8 3 7 5 5 
			 Total n/a 96 57 51 140 143 91 74 106 96 
			  Leavers   
			 Custody staff 29 33 36 42 61 95 66 75 70 101 
			 Other 2 1 4 7 5 6 3 5 5 9 
			 Total 31 34 40 49 66 101 69 80 89 110 
			
			  Rainsbrook Secure Training Centreopened 3 July 1999   
			  Starters   
			 Custody staff  n/a n/a n/a 109 60 52 76 84 60 
			 Other  n/a n/a n/a 12 6 5 5 12 3 
			 Total  n/a n/a n/a 121 66 57 81 96 63 
			  Leavers  1 
			 Custody staff  n/a n/a n/a 31 48 52 48 45 50 
			 Other  n/a n/a n/a 7 4 5 10 6 2 
			 Total  n/a n/a n/a 38 52 57 58 51 52 
			
			  Hassockfield Secure Training Centreopened 17 September 1999( 1)   
			  Starters   
			 Custody staff  16 22 31 65 25 32 24 55 17 
			 Other  11 23 19 7 8 14 10 21 15 
			 Total  27 45 50 72 33 46 34 76 32 
			  Leavers   
			 Custody staff  10 33 23 26 25 23 17 10 15 
			 Other  10 37 17 15 14 18 10 8 15 
			 Total  20 70 40 41 39 41 27 18 30 
			
			  Oakhill Secure Training Centreopened 19 August 2004   
			  Starters   
			 Custody staff       234 134 83 166 
			 Other       32 33 28 31 
			 Total       266 167 111 197 
			  Leavers   
			 Custody staff       77 93 80 100 
			 Other       5 28 17 24 
			 Total       82 121 97 124 
			 (1)( )19 September 1999 to 31 December 1999  Notes: 1. At Medway, Rainsbrook and Oakhill, other staff excludes teachers and healthcare staff, none of whom are directly employed by the STC contractors. 2. Hassockfields other staff includes teachers and healthcare staff, as they are directly employed by the STC contractors. 3. The high number of joiners at Rainsbrook and Medway in 2002 and 2003 reflects the expansion of both centres from 44 to 76 beds. (Hassockfield has 42 beds, Oakhill has 80.) 4. Joiner/leaver numbers at all centres include staff who were provisionally appointed but did not actually start work with children because they did not pass the initial training course or did not receive Criminal Records Bureau clearance. Those staff did not have contact with children. 5. Rainsbrook introduced a fully automated personnel/payroll system in 2002. As data prior to this period are limited and accuracy cannot be guaranteed, they have not been included. 6. Staff figures for Hassockfield in 1999 are for appointments after 19 September, when the centre opened. Some staff were appointed prior to opening, but figures for these are not available.

Smoking

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many smoking shelters were built at each of his Department's London buildings in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice's buildings are smokefree. The Ministry of Justice has not constructed any smoking shelters on its London HQ estate in the last five years.

Walton Prison: Cemeteries

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  on what date the National Offender Management Service received the request to meet the costs of the exhumation and reburial of George Kelly at Walton Prison, Liverpool;
	(2)  what requests for interim payments have been received by his Department and its agencies in respect of work conducted in connection with the exhumation and reburial of George Kelly; and when and how they were processed;
	(3)  what agreement the National Offender Management Service reached on the costs incurred in the exhumation and reburial of the remains of George Kelly at Walton Prison, Liverpool; with whom the agreement was reached; and on what date;
	(4)  what  (a) guidance and  (b) training is given to personnel working in Prison Service custodial property and estates management on (i) dealing with members of the public and (ii) settlement of disputes using alternative dispute resolution;
	(5)  when the decision was taken to construct a car park over the grave area of executed persons at Walton Prison, Liverpool; who was responsible for the decision; what consideration was given to providing access to each grave; and if he will make a statement;
	(6)  what his policy is on building over graves sited on land  (a) owned and  (b) occupied by the National Offender Management Service; what regulations apply to building on such land; what guidance he issues on building on such land; what sanctions apply to breaches of (i) regulations and (ii) policy; and if he will make a statement;
	(7)  what requests his Department and its agencies have received for alternative dispute resolution of outstanding issues regarding the costs involved in connection with the exhumation and reburial of George Kelly at Walton Prison, Liverpool; and what steps were taken to  (a) respond to and  (b) comply with such requests.

David Hanson: A request was received in November 2005 before the exhumation and reburial of the remains of Mr. Kelly. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) Custodial Property Estates Section agreed to meet the reasonable costs.
	Following the exhumation and reburial of the remains of Mr. Kelly, NOMS received in May 2006 invoices for the funeral directors and other services relating to the exhumation and reburial. These were settled the same month by final payment made to the solicitors who had requested the exhumation and reburial. There were two remaining claims for costs in respect of which requests for interim payments were made. The first claim related to the role of a person asked by the same solicitors to make the arrangements for the exhumation and reburial. However, no breakdown of the costs was supplied with the claim and as, despite several requests, such a breakdown was not provided no interim payment could be made. The information was eventually provided and the amount payable agreed and paid. The second claim related to the services of a psychologist. Following a meeting in August 2006 an offer to settle the claim was made that month but there was a delay in a formal response. NOMS is endeavouring to seek to settle this account appropriately.
	In November 2005, following an approach by solicitors about the exhumation and reburial of the remains of Mr. Kelly, the then Department of Constitutional Affairs contacted the head of NOMS Custodial Property Estates section who agreed to meet the reasonable costs of the exhumation and reburial. Invoices submitted by those solicitors for the funeral directors and other services relating to the exhumation and reburial were agreed and paid in May 2006. The claim for costs for the role of the person asked by the same solicitors to arrange the exhumation and reburial was agreed with the solicitors and paid in January 2008. The claim made by the solicitors for the services of a psychologist has yet to be resolved.
	The staff in Custodial Property Estates section dealing with estate management matters are professionally trained surveyors experienced in dealing with members of the public and all aspects relating to contracts which include alternative dispute resolution. If any specific training need were to be identified appropriate training would be arranged.
	The car parking area has been in use for a considerable number of years and to search for the information about decisions, as requested, could only be undertaken at disproportionate cost, if such information is still in existence. The brick paving and sand base over the graves can be removed to facilitate exhumation of remains.
	In cases where it is proposed to erect a building on land where there are graves it is normal practice for the remains to be exhumed and reburied away from the site. Such buildings are subject to the building regulations in the same way as other new prison buildings. The Coroners Office has previously advised that there is no legislation or rules relating to burials preventing the use of such areas for car parking.
	Alternative dispute resolution and other such processes in relation to two claims in respect of costs relating to the exhumation and reburial of the remains of Mr. Kelly was raised in August 2006 by the solicitors who had requested the exhumation and reburial. With regard to the first claim from the person engaged by those solicitors to make the arrangements for the exhumation and reburial, in September 2006 that person served a claim against the solicitors who then served a claim against NOMS. The claim was resolved out of court. The second claim relates to the services of a psychologist. The NOMS Custodial Property Estates Section is endeavouring to resolve this matter without the need for a process such as the alternative dispute resolution as the sum in dispute is some £1,500.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Females

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with the government of Afghanistan on the status of women in that country;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the government of Afghanistan on tackling violence against women in that country.

Meg Munn: We are aware of the difficult situation many women in Afghanistan still face. Our Embassy officials in Kabul regularly discuss womens rights with members of the Afghan Government, non-governmental organisations and parliamentarians, highlighting their importance.
	The Government work to enhance the status of women in three main ways: through policy engagement with the Afghan Government; through support for national programmes and services, which benefit women; and through bilateral programmes.
	Despite the challenges, progress has been made. Over a third of children now in school are girls. We have committed over £35 million to support the Afghan governments micro-finance programme, giving women in particular better access to finance. 27 per cent. of seats in the Lower House of the Afghan Parliament are now held by womenmore than in the House of Commons, which is around 20 per cent.
	Our major support is channelled through the Afghan government, since gender inequality is a deeply embedded and long-term problem which needs a strategic approach. We have worked, for example, with the government to ensure that gender equality is integrated into the Afghanistan National Development Strategy.
	We are also giving £500,000 to support a five-year Womens Empowerment programme (2005-10), implemented by the non-governmental organisation, Womankind. The programme focuses on promoting womens equal participation in governance, building awareness of womens rights among civil society and policy makers, and on providing educational, health, community and psycho-social support to women affected by violence and conflict.
	We funded the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, with £500,000, to implement its three-year Action Plan (2006-08). A large part of the Commission's work focuses on womens rights, including documenting and tackling violence against women. In addition we have funded a non-governmental organisation, Global Rights, to produce a detailed report on domestic abuse in Afghanistan, due to be published shortly.

Bangladesh: Politics and Government

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the political situation in Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: When the Chief Adviser of the Bangladesh caretaker Government., Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, met with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in March, he reaffirmed his Government's firm resolve to hold free, fair and credible parliamentary elections in Bangladesh by December 2008. The UK welcomes efforts made by the caretaker Government towards achieving this goal. We continue to encourage the caretaker Government to ensure all commitments are fulfilled. We believe credible elections that can sustain democracy in the longer term are essential for Bangladesh.

Burma: Storms

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government has taken to encourage the Burmese government to respond rapidly to the humanitarian situation caused by Cyclone Nargis.

Meg Munn: The UK has pledged £5 million for emergency relief and we are willing to do more for the victims of Cyclone Nargis. The obstacles being placed in the way of the international donor effort by the Burmese regime are totally unacceptable.
	The Government have pressed the Burmese regime to allow international assistance to be delivered to those in urgent need. We have, as chair of the UN Security Council, called for action by Burma to work with the UN and international donors and expedite access. We are pressing regional powers such as Thailand, China, India and Indonesia at senior political and official level to use their influence on Burma to accept unfettered international assistance. We have said that we would use whatever delivery mechanism they are able to negotiate with the Burmese and channel our relief effort through them. My noble Friend Lord Malloch-Brown, is visiting key Asian capitals to mobilise support for a significant increase in the amount of assistance reaching Burma and the delta region in particular.

China: HIV Infection

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of China on tackling HIV/AIDS.

Meg Munn: We have regular discussions with the Chinese authorities about HIV/AIDS. Through the Department for International Development (DFID), the Government are currently providing £30 million in support of HIV/AIDS work both to the Chinese government and also directly to seven provinces. HIV/AIDS work forms the largest part of DFIDs bilateral programme in China. DFID continues to exert its influence in shaping Chinese HIV and AIDS policy and strategy, and works very closely with the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS, the World Health Organisation and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

India: Children

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of India on tackling  (a) child trafficking and  (b) the child sex industry.

Meg Munn: We discuss human rights issues with the Government of India on a regular basis. Child rights were discussed at the latest round of the EU-India Human Rights Dialogue in New Delhi on 15 February. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials discussed human rights issues with the Indian National Human Rights Commission on 15 April underlining the importance we place on it and the close watch we keep on such issues. The Government will continue to work withand supportthe Government of India in tackling all human rights issues.

Iraq: Homophobia

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of the level of violence and persecution aimed at gay men in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Iran.

Meg Munn: We have serious concerns about the treatment of homosexuals in Iran and Iraq.
	We are particularly concerned that homosexual activities are illegal and can carry the death penalty in Iran although we have not been able to confirm any executions that have taken place solely on the grounds of homosexuality in recent years. We are aware of concerns that some people charged and executed for other crimes (such as rape and kidnap) may have been homosexual.
	Homosexuals, along with other minority groups in Iran, do experience discrimination but we do not have any evidence of a state-led campaign of persecution targeting Iran's gay community. It is difficult to get reliable information about the situation of homosexuals in Iran as the issue is not generally discussed in public.
	The UK and the EU regularly raise human rights concerns with the Iranian Government. Most recently, in a demarche to the Iranian authorities on 27 April, the EU raised concerns about a report that over 30 men had been arrested when police raided a party at a home in Esfahan in February. The men were reportedly referred to a forensic medical examiner to look for evidence that they had engaged in homosexual conduct.
	The UK is concerned about reports of violence and persecution of homosexuals in Iraq. We do not have any direct evidence of targeted or systematic abuses taking place against the homosexual community within Iraq, although random acts of violence have taken place. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials, together with the private secretary to Ann Clwyd MP, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to Iraq on Human Rights, will soon be arranging a meeting with the Iraqi lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender group to discuss the issues and challenges that face them in Iraq.

Lebanon: Elections

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the prospects for a free and fair presidential election in  (a) Lebanon and  (b) the Ivory Coast.

Meg Munn: We are deeply concerned by the ongoing violence in Beirut, and elsewhere in the Lebanon, recently. Such violence makes the election of a new president more difficult than ever. A parliamentary vote, on the election of a new president, was postponed for the 19th time to 10 June. Any deal will need to find an accommodation between the two sides on the key issues of disagreement which include: the presidency; the make up of a future government and a future electoral law.
	We fully support the high-level Arab League mission, which arrived in Beirut on 14 May. The UN Security Council, under British presidency, addressed the situation recently. Informal discussions have continued since then and we are working towards a formal meeting this week to ensure strong UN backing for efforts to restore calm and support democratic politics in Lebanon.
	We welcome the Ivorian government's decision to hold presidential elections on 30 November 2008, with the agreement of all the major Ivorian political parties. This is a tight deadline which can only be met through a concerted effort from both Ivorian and international institutions. The UN Operation in the Ivory Coast has a mandate to certify the election process. Its most recent report on 15 April, which can be found at:
	http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/sgrep08.htm,
	indicated that while there was a political consensus on holding elections there was still much work to be done, such as finalising the legal framework for the electoral process. It also noted the elections would bear serious risks if they were not conducted in a transparent, free and credible manner.

Spain: Gibraltar

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the conformity of the policy of Spain on military freight crossing the Spain-Gibraltar border with Spain's NATO obligations; and what representations he has made to the Spanish government on the matter.

Jim Murphy: The Government have raised the issues of restrictions with the Spanish Government directly and will continue to do so. We believe the imposition of such restrictions is inappropriate. Spain is an important NATO ally and we are therefore determined to work closely with Spain to find a constructive solution.

Spain: Gibraltar

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of Spain on restrictions on military freight crossing the Spain-Gibraltar border; and what steps he plans to take on the matter.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 13 May 2008
	 The Government have raised the issues of restrictions with the Spanish Government directly and will continue to do so. We believe the imposition of such restrictions is inappropriate. Spain is an important North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ally and we are therefore determined to work closely with Spain to find a constructive solution.

UN Human Rights Council

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the UN Human Rights Council.

Meg Munn: The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) is now fully up and running after an institution building phase begun in 2006. Achieving UK human rights priorities remains difficult with the majority of members wishing to prevent the body effectively tackling country specific problems. However, the HRC has, largely through UK/EU action, taken some encouraging steps, including special sessions on Burma and Darfur and discussions of a wide range of country specific situations during open session. These sessions are webcast and open to non-governmental organisations and interest groups.
	The introduction of the HRCs Universal Periodic Review marks the first time that every UN members human rights record will be systematically examined. The UK was one of the first countries to be examined in April. We used this opportunity to provide a model for engagement that we encourage others to follow, including by addressing the challenges we face.
	The UK remains committed to seeing complementary action on human rights in other parts of the UN, in particular through the General Assemblys Third Committee. We will continue to resist those who argue that human rights are only a matter for the HRC in Geneva. They must be promoted in all parts of the UN.
	We continue to see the HRC as a body that can deliver valuable results in human rights on the ground. It will take time and effort to realise this aim. The UK is ready to engage fully to see the Council increasingly fulfil its potential.

United Nations: Internet

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts at the United Nations on the regulation of access to the internet by Member States.

Meg Munn: The UN World Summit on the Information Society in 2005 reaffirmed the right of individuals to access information and encouraged governments to meet their responsibilities in ensuring equitable access to Information Communication Technology, including the internet.
	In taking forward the summit recommendations, the UN Secretary-General established an Internet Governance Forum (IGF). The forum provides a framework for dialogue between governments, as well as the private sector and civil society, on a range of public policy issues relating to the internet. The UK is actively engaged in the IGF and will be represented at its next meeting in Hyderabad, India, from 3-6 December 2008.
	The Government remain concerned that access to information is greatly restricted in many countries around the world. We continue to raise our concerns on this, and other related issues, as part of our ongoing human rights dialogue with other countries, both bilaterally and in international fora.

United Nations: Peacekeeping Operations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the UN troop contributor Governments on the conduct of troops on UN missions, including their treatment of women.

Meg Munn: We believe strongly that UN personnel must uphold the highest standards of behaviour. The vast majority of UN peacekeepers uphold those standards while doing important work in difficult and dangerous circumstances.
	The UN is responsible for tackling any individual allegations of misconduct with troop contributing countries. We have therefore not raised this with Governments, but we do pursue the issue with the UN. The UK played a key role in the 2006 negotiations that established a model Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the UN and troop contributing countries, which lays out the actions that will be taken if any troops fall short of prescribed standards of conduct. We were also involved in negotiations last year which made the MoU more robust. We support the UN Secretary-Generals zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel and we press for language supporting that policy, and call for troop contributing countries to take appropriate preventative action, to be included in all UN Security Council resolutions on peacekeeping missions. The peace support operations training that the UK provides for troops of other countries also covers matters of conduct, including the importance of protecting civilians (including women) in accordance with international law.

United Nations: Peacekeeping Operations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts at the United Nations on human rights training for troops seconded to UN missions.

Meg Munn: It is critical that UN peacekeepers uphold the highest human rights standards. Troop and police contributing countries, with UN support, are responsible for training their peacekeepers appropriately. Government officials regularly discuss with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) how to improve its training, including in human rights. The Government supports DPKO's training programmes with funding.

United Nations: Peacekeeping Operations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had on a treaty on the prosecution of allegations of sexual abuse made against UN personnel, including peacekeepers.

Meg Munn: We believe strongly that UN personnel must uphold the highest standards of behaviour. The vast majority of UN peacekeepers uphold those standards, while doing important work in difficult and dangerous circumstances.
	The UN has mechanisms in place to investigate, and take action, against allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse, and the UN Secretary-General has a zero-tolerance policy towards such behaviour. The UK played a key role in the negotiations that established those mechanisms and we work with partners to strengthen the UN's arrangements in this area. We support the UN Secretary-General's zero-tolerance policy and we press for language supporting that policy, and call for troop contributing countries to take appropriate preventative action, to be included in all UN Security Council resolutions on peacekeeping missions. The UK also provides financial support to the Conduct and Discipline Unit within the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations to help them prevent sexual abuse by peacekeepers.
	We have not discussed a treaty.

United Nations: Peacekeeping Operations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by his Department to improve the UN's capacity for the rapid deployment of troops for peacekeeping and peace-enforcement missions.

Meg Munn: Improving the effectiveness of the UN in tackling conflict is a key objective, as set out in recent speeches by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. The UK believes that UN peacekeepers play a vital role. The Government work closely with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), including financial support from our Department's Conflict Prevention Pool on capacity building projects. In 2007-08 the UK provided over £4 million to support the training of peacekeepers.
	The UK supports DPKO's proposed rapid deployment modelthe Enhanced Rapidly Deployable Capacities. The critical rapid deployment capacity, for UN or other operations, will remain with nation states and regional organisations. The UK is working with international partners to develop this capacity, for example with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's Response Force, the EU Battlegroup Concept and the African Union's Standby Force. The UK makes a very significant contribution, including rapidly deployable capacities, to UN-mandated operations in the Balkans and Afghanistan.

Vietnam: BBC External Services

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on funding for the BBC World Services Vietnamese service.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 13 May 2008
	 There have been no representations received on funding for the BBC World Services Vietnamese service.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to answer Question 191937, tabled on 3 March 2008, on the Treaty of Lisbon.

Jim Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him today (PQ 191937).

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Burma: Storms

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with  (a) relevant UN agencies,  (b) the European Commission,  (c) non-governmental organisations and  (d) other countries on co-ordinating the international emergency relief aid response to Burma following Cyclone Nargis; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: In addressing the crisis in Burma since Cyclone Nargis hit on 2 May, I have spoken to a number of international partners. These include: Sir John Holmes, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-ordinator; Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid; Henrietta Fore, USAID Administrator and Director of US Foreign Assistance; and Josette Sheran, Executive Director of the World Food Programme. I pressed for the extraordinary meeting of EU Development Ministers in Brussels on 13 May at which I spoke to a number of my EU counterparts. I have also spoken to the Burmese and Chinese Ambassadors to the UK. I held meetings with non-governmental organisation groupings on the crisis on 7 and 14 May.

Burma: Storms

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when his Department made the first request for aircraft to take UK Government aid to Burma following Cyclone Nargis; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The first request for aircraft to fly UK Government aid to Burma was made on 5 May.

Burma: Storms

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how many days after Cyclone Nargis it was before aircraft with UK Government aid to Burma first arrived in that country; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what UK Government emergency relief aid has been sent to Burma following Cyclone Nargis; and on what date each consignment arrived in Burma;
	(3)  how many aircraft have been chartered by the UK Government to transport emergency relief aid to Burma following Cyclone Nargis; what types of aircraft have been used; when each arrived in Burma; what cargo each carried; and who provided each aircraft.

Douglas Alexander: The first planes carrying UK Government aid arrived in Rangoon on the 13 May and 15 May (11 and 13 days after Cyclone Nargis). Both flights were carrying plastic sheeting which was consigned to the UN World Food Programme (WFP).
	Six flights have been chartered by the UK Government so far for emergency relief aid. Details are in the following table:
	
		
			  Date  Type of aircraft  Cargo  Status( 1)  Aircraft provided by (Broker) 
			  2008 
			 13 May IL76 8,000 sheets (consigned to WFP for use by the shelter cluster) Landed in Rangoon 15 May 2008 Hanover Aviation 
			 14 May IL76 Plastic sheeting (consigned to WFP) Scheduled to arrive 16 May at 1400 local time Air Charter Service (ACS) 
			 15 May IL76 13,000 jerry cans and 5,000 plastic sheets Due to arrive 16 May Air Charter Service (ACS) 
			 15 May IL76 14 fully equipped boats Due to arrive 16 May Air Charter Service (ACS) 
			 16 May(2) IL76 8,000 plastic sheets  Hanover Aviation 
			 (1)( )Subject to change. (2 )Scheduled.

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what criminal offences have been abolished by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since May 1997;
	(2)  what criminal offences have been created by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since July 2007.

Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development does not sponsor any primary legislation.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many receptions he has hosted and funded in his capacity as Secretary of State in the last 12 months; which individuals and organisations  (a) were invited to and  (b) attended each reception; and what the cost was of each reception.

Douglas Alexander: A list providing information relating to official receptions hosted by Ministers in this Department for the financial year 2007-08 will be published in due course.

Developing Countries: Overseas Aid

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what poverty reduction plans which have been agreed with partner governments incorporate human rights-based benchmarks.

Gareth Thomas: Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) are a requirement for countries to receive concessional assistance from the World Bank (through the International Development AssociationIDA) and the IMF (through the Poverty Reduction and Growth FacilityPRGF). In addition they are the basis for the provision of debt relief under the enhanced HIPC (Highly Indebted Poor Countries) Initiative. The World Bank reports that PRSPs are on the agenda of about 70 low-income countries. The World Bank website (www.worldbank.org) publishes 66 PRSPs. It would incur disproportionate expense to answer the question in full by identifying which of these include human-rights based benchmarks.

Disaster Relief

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many days it took for the first aircraft transporting UK emergency relief aid to arrive at its destination in relation to each natural disaster to which the UK has responded with such aid over the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: My Department is unable to answer this question because of the disproportionate cost this would incur.

London Airports

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many times his Department hired VIP facilities at  (a) Heathrow,  (b) Gatwick,  (c) Luton and  (d) Stansted airports in each month since May 2006; and what the expenditure on VIP facilities at each was in each of those months.

Douglas Alexander: There have been no occasions where the Department for International Development has hired VIP facilities at  (a) Heathrow,  (b) Gatwick,  (c) Luton and  (d) Stansted airports in the period specified.

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what mechanisms the Government has put in place to ensure that any projects  (a) directly and  (b) indirectly funded by the UK in the Palestinian Occupied Territories do not contravene the rulings of the International Court of Justice relating to third state obligations not to assist or maintain an illegal situation.

Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development provides humanitarian support to the Occupied Palestinian Territories through the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross, and provides support aligned with the priorities of the Palestinian Authority, as set out in their Palestinian Reform and Development Plan. We carefully assess all of our assistance to ensure that our aid is not used to assist or maintain the situation created by the construction of the Israeli separation barrier inside the Occupied Palestinian Territory including in and around East Jerusalem.

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take steps to ensure that no UK funding for the Palestinian Occupied Territories will be used  (a) to upgrade crossings built into the West Bank barrier where it is situated within occupied Palestinian territory and  (b) to build permanent infrastructure at checkpoints within the West Bank.

Douglas Alexander: The UK ensures its funds are not used to render aid or assistance to the construction of crossings built into the separation barrier where it is located within the Occupied Palestinian Territories or Israeli check points in the West Bank.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) has robust monitoring mechanisms in place to ensure that our aid to the Palestinians is used for the purposes it is given for. DFID disburses funds through transparent mechanisms managed by the UN, EC, International Committee of the Red Cross, World Bank and reputable international firms.

Textiles: Working Conditions

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what work his Department is undertaking to alleviate poor working conditions for textile and clothing workers in  (a) India,  (b) Pakistan,  (c) Cambodia,  (d) Vietnam and  (e) Laos.

Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) supports the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) which assists companies seeking to improve the conditions of workers in their supply chains. ETIs member companies include leading garment retailers such as Gap Inc, Marks and Spencer, Monsoon, New Look and Zara which source a large proportion of their garments from India, Pakistan, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. These retailers have all committed to working with their textile and garment suppliers to improve working conditions for workers making their products.
	In India, ETI is supporting the National Homeworkers Group which aims to improve the conditions of homeworkers involved in embellishing fabric, such as adding embroidery or beads. Thousands of homeworkers in villages in Uttar Pradesh, one of Indias poorest regions, have received training in health and safety, record keeping and improved access to insurance and healthcare. They have reported greater confidence and awareness of their rights.
	DFID India has in the recent past provided small-scale support through the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to women weavers in Rajasthan, with the aim of encouraging the state government to improve their working conditions. A programme to be introduced later in 2008 will support the ILO in promoting decent work in India. This may include support to textile and clothing workers.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Apprentices: Higher Education

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what proportion of learners progressed from the completion of a level 3 advanced apprenticeship to  (a) a foundation degree course and  (b) an undergraduate degree course in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down by apprenticeship framework.

David Lammy: Information is not available to answer this question. We are undertaking work within my Department to improve the data so we can better understand progression between different educational levels.

Further Education

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the completion rate of adults enrolled on a level three further education course was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: The Learning and Skills Council publish success rates in a Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest available SFR contains data for 2005/06 and is available in the Library and at:
	www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000723/index.shtml
	In 2005/06 the success rate for learners aged 19+ doing level 3 long courses in Further Education (which excludes provision delivered through Work-Based Learning or Train to Gain) was 63 per cent. This was an increase from 54 per cent. in 2003/04 and 58 per cent. in 2004/05.

Higher Education: Student Numbers

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  how many part-time undergraduate students there were in England at the latest date for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of part-time undergraduate students in England studied  (a) between 50 and 59 per cent. of a full-time course,  (b) between 60 and 74 per cent. of a full-time course and  (c) 75 per cent. or more of a full-time course in the last year for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: The latest available figures show that there were 508,955 part-time undergraduate students from the UK and overseas enrolled at English higher education institutions in the 2006/07 academic year. Comparable figures for the 2007/08 academic year will be available in January 2009.
	The full-time equivalence of these part-time undergraduate students is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Part-time undergraduate students( 1)  by full-time equivalence: English higher education institutions, 2006/07 academic year 
			  Full-time equivalence (Percentage)  Number  Proportion (Percentage) 
			 Under 50.00 289,295 56.8 
			 50.00-59.99 151,130 29.7 
			 60.00-74.99 31,660 6.2 
			 75.00 or more 36,870 7.2 
			 Total 508,955 100.0 
			 (1) Includes all students from the UK and overseas.   Notes: Figures are on a HESA Standard Registration population basis. Numbers are rounded to the nearest five and proportions are rounded to one decimal place.   Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record.

Smoking

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many smoking shelters were built at each of his Department's London buildings in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: Accommodation and related facilities for my Department are provided on our behalf by the Department for Children Schools and Families and the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Any details relating to smoking shelters will therefore be included in answers given by those Departments.

Students: Loans

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many student loans have been written off in each of the last five years, broken down by the cause of the write-off.

Bill Rammell: Borrowers domiciled in England and Wales whose loans have been written offmainly on statutory grounds of age, death and disabilityare at Table 1. Of 2.5 million loans at the end of 2006/07, the numbers of loans written off during that year represented around 0.1 per cent. of the total.
	Statutory grounds for student loans to be written off (for both mortgage-style (MS) and income-contingent (ICR) loans unless otherwise stated) are:
	Upon the death of the borrower, or if the borrower is in receipt of a disability related benefit and permanently unable to work;
	On age grounds. MS loans with no arrears are written off when the borrower reaches the age of 50 (or 60 if the borrower was aged over 40 when he/she last borrowed). ICR loans issued before 2006/07 are written off at age 65;
	For ICR loans issued after 2006/07, 25 years after students become liable to repay their loan.
	Minor, residual loan balances can also be written off on other, non-statutory grounds.
	
		
			  Table 1: Publicly-owned income-contingent and mortgage-style loans which have been written off (rounded to the nearest 10) 
			  Financial Year  Age( 1)  Deceased  Disabled  Other( 2) 
			 2002-03 140 540 110 100 
			 2003-04 250 560 90 160 
			 2004-05 480 430 90 60 
			 2005-06 580 800 120 210 
			 2006-07(3) 1,050 700 140 1,620 
			 (1 )Loan cancellations on grounds of age have risen due to the increasing age of borrowers since the first loans were taken out (from 1990 onwards). The rise also reflects the increasing volume of loans.  (2) So far, with the exception of 2006-07 the majority of write-offs take place on statutory grounds. The increase in this category in 2006-07 reflects a bulk clearance of cases which took place that year.  (3) 2006-07 data are provisional.

TREASURY

Banks: Regulation

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the adequacy of the Basel 2 regulatory regime; whether he plans to develop a Basel 3 regime; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: The Basel 2 framework, which makes improvements to the alignment of capital requirements to underlying risks taken, has been adopted in the EU through the capital requirements directive (CRD), The Treasury worked closely with the FSA and industry on EU negotiations on the CRD. That directive came into force on 1 January 2008. The Financial Services Authority has maintained a number of industry standing groups to deal with any issues arising from the implementation of the directive.
	In October last year the G7 asked the Financial Stability Forum (FSF) to analyse the underlying causes of the ongoing turbulence in the world's financial markets. The FSF reported to G7 Finance Ministers in April, who endorsed the report. The FSF's recommendations included enhancements to the prudential oversight of capital, liquidity and risk management, including strengthening the prudential framework for financial institutions' securitisation and off-balance sheet activities under Basel 2.
	The Chancellor maintains a close dialogue with the financial services sector on a wide range of issues.

Child Tax Credit: Warrington

Helen Southworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Warrington, South constituency were in receipt of child tax credit in each year since the tax credit was introduced; and how much was paid in such credits in that area in each such year.

Jane Kennedy: HMRC do not produce statistics separately for child tax credit and working tax credit.
	However, estimates of the number of families with tax credits in 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 in each constituency, based on final family circumstances and incomes, are produced in Table 3 of the HMRC publications Child and Working Tax Credits. Finalised Awards. Geographical Analysis for each relevant year. These are available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm.
	The number of out-of-work families includes those who are receiving the equivalent level of support via income support and jobseekers allowance.
	Information on the average annual entitlement for families in each constituency is also available in Table 3 of these publications.
	The same information for 2006-07 is due to be published on 20 May 2008.

Conference Centres

Phil Willis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department provides any  (a) capital and  (b) revenue support to any conference or exhibition centre; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury does not make any capital or revenue payments in support of any conference or exhibition centres.

Departmental Pensions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cash equivalent transfer value is of the public sector pensions of the 10 highest paid members of staff in his Department and its executive agencies; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: Details of the cash equivalent transfer values of pensions for senior staff in HM Treasury and its agencies can be found in the relevant Resource Accounts. The details of the latest published accounts are as follows:
	HM Treasury and Office of Government Commerce HC 518
	Debt Management Office HC 989
	Royal Mint HC 543
	National Savings and Investments HC 639
	Government Actuary's Department HC 869
	HM Revenue and Customs HC 626

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many working days were lost by his Department due to stress-related illness in each of the last 24 months.

Angela Eagle: Details of the working days lost by HM Treasury due to stress-related illnesses for each month from January 2006 to December 2007 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   2006  2007 
			 January 142 198 
			 February 90 163 
			 March 90 155 
			 April 123 123 
			 May 125 168 
			 June 98 192 
			 July 78 131 
			 August 51 129 
			 September 97 84 
			 October 123 121 
			 November 150 85 
			 December 188 89

Departmental Telephone Services

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what  (a) 0800,  (b) 0845 and  (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public are in use by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to his Department.

Angela Eagle: The following tables and comments detail what non-geographic (0800, 0845 and 0870) telephone numbers for the public are in use by the Chancellor's Department and reporting agencies.
	 (a) 0800 numbers
	The 0800 telephone numbers which are regularly in use are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number  Description  Administered by 
			 0800 788 887 Tax Evasion Hotline HMRC 
			 0800 595 000 Customs Confidential HMRC 
			 0800 056 0585 Special Needs Line (textphone) NSI 
		
	
	In addition the Royal Mint has a series of 61 numbers with an 0800 prefix, which are used in rotation for marketing and advertising campaign purposes.
	 (b) 0845 numbers
	A summary of the number of 0845 numbers is shown in the following table. This is followed by more detailed information on which 0845 numbers for the public are in use by the Chancellor's Department and each reporting agency.
	
		
			  Department/Agency  Number of 0845 numbers for use by the public 
			 Debt Management Office 16 
			 Government Actuary's Department 0 
			 HM Revenue and Customs (1)139 
			 HM Treasury 0 
			 National Savings and Investments 8 
			 The Office of Government Commerce 1 
			 OGC Buying Solutions 1 
			 Royal Mint 6 
			 Valuation Office Agency 2 
			 (1 )Estimated number of public facing helpline services. 
		
	
	 Debt Management Office (DMO)
	The following table of numbers appears on the DMO website which the public would have access to.
	
		
			  Name  Number 
			 Chief Executive 0845 357 6533 
			 Deputy Chief Executive 0845 357 6531 
			 Chief Operating Officer 0845 357 6520 
			 Head of Business Delivery 0845 357 6544 
			 Head of Finance, Risk Management and Control 0845 357 6624 
			 Head of Markets and PWLB 0845 357 6539 
			 Co-Head of Policy Team 0845 357 6512 
			 Co-Head of Policy Team 0845 357 6623 
			 Senior Quantitative Analyst 0845 357 6516 
			 Head of Gilt and Cash Dealing 0845 357 6517 
			 Press Officer and Policy Advisor 0845 357 6532 
			 Assistant Press Officer and Policy Advisor 0845 357 6525 
			 Secretary to the PWLB 0845 357 6613 
			 HR Manager 0845 357 6579 
			 Senior Policy Advisor 0845 357 6571 
			 Website Team 0845 357 6500 
		
	
	 HM Revenue and Customs
	HMRC's 0845 telephone numbers for public use are either to promote general helpline services, where customers instigating contact are encouraged to call, or appear on correspondence and forms, for customers to make specific inquiries. The main public facing helpline services are listed in the following table, while the full list of 0845 numbers is not held centrally and could be established only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  HMRC 0845 prefixed telephone services  Number 
			 BillPay Helpline 0845 302 1423 
			 Charities Helpline 0845 302 0203 
			 Child Benefit 0845 302 1444 
			 Child BenefitGuardian Helpline 0845 302 1464 
			 Child Benefit NI 0845 603 2000 
			 Child Benefit (Textphone) 0845 302 1474 
			 Child Trust Fund 0845 302 1470 
			 Child Trust Fund (Textphone) 0845 366 7870 
			 Construction Industry Scheme 0845 366 7899 
			 Construction Industry Scheme (Textphone) 0845 366 7894 
			 Contract Advice Line (IR35) 0845 303 3535 
			 Contract Advice Line (IR35) Fax 0845 302 3535 
			 Corporation Tax (Self Assessment Orderline) 0845 300 6555 
			 Corporation Tax (Self Assessment Orderline) Fax 0845 300 6777 
			 Employers Helpline 0845 714 3143 
			 Employers Helpline (Textphone) 0845 602 1380 
			 Employers Orderline 0845 764 6646 
			 Flood Helpline 0845 300 0157 
			 Foot and Mouth Helpline 0845 366 1207 
			 Gross Registration (Bank and Building Soc. interest) 0845 980 0645 
			 How to Pay Helpline 0845 366 7816 
			 Individual Savings Accounts (ISA) 0845 604 1701 
			 London Enquiry Line 0845 302 1455 
			 National Insurance and NMW (textphone) 0845 915 3296 
			 National Insurance Contracted Out Pensions 0845 915 0150 
			 National Insurance Contributions Office 0845 302 1479 
			 National Insurance Contributions Office (textphone) 0845 915 8610 
			 National Insurance Deficiency Helpline 08459155996 
			 National Insurance North Wales area 0845 766 0830 
			 National Insurance Pensions (Individuals) 0845 915 0106 
			 National Insurance Pensions (Individuals textphone) 084 5915 8608 
			 National Insurance Registrations Number Allocation 0845 915 7006 
			 National Insurance Registrations (Lost and mislaid cards and numbers) 0845 915 5670 
			 National Insurance Self Employed Helpline 0845 915 4655 
			 National Minimum Wage 0845 600 0678 
			 National Minimum Wage Information Service 0845 845 0360 
			 New Employers Helpline 0845 607 0143 
			 Newly Self Employed Helpline 0845 915 4515 
			 Online Services Helpdesk (Direct Taxes) 0845 605 5999 
			 Online Services Helpdesk (Fax) 0845 366 7828 
			 Online Services Helpdesk (Tax Credits) 0845 300 3938 
			 Online Services Helpdesk (Textphone) 0845 366 7805 
			 Online Services Helpdesk (VAT Online) 0845 010 8500 
			 Online Services Helpdesk (VAT Online) Fax 0845 010 8501 
			 PA YE and SA (Textphone Belfast) 0845 607 6078 
			 PA YE and SA (Textphone Bradford) 0845 366 7818 
			 PA YE and SA (Textphone Cardiff) 0845 302 1408 
			 PA YE and SA (Textphone Sunderland) 0845 302 1499 
			 PAYE and SA Bedfordshire and West Hertfordshire 0845 302 1458 
			 PA YE and SA Berkshire 0845 366 7810 
			 PAYE and SA Birmingham Solihull 0845 302 1437 
			 PAYE and SA Blind Persons Allowance Helpline 0845 366 7887 
			 PAYE and SA Bournemouth 0845 302 1451 
			 PAYE and SA Bristol and North Somerset 0845 302 1443 
			 PA YE and SA Cambridgeshire 0845 302 1453 
			 PAYE and SA Central Yorkshire 0845 302 1467 
			 PAYE and SA Centre 1 0845 070 3703 
			 PAYE and SA Chapel Warf 0845 300 0627 
			 PAYE and SA Claims Office 0845 366 7850 
			 PAYE and SA Cornwall and Plymouth 0845 366 7807 
			 PAYE and SA Cumbria 0845 302 1473 
			 PAYE and SA Devon 0845 366 7830 
			 PAYE and SA Dorset and Wiltshire 0845 302 1438 
			 PAYE and SA East Cheshire and South Lancashire 0845 302 1463 
			 PAYE and SA East Hants and Isle of Wight 0845 300 0628 
			 PAYE and SA East Hertfordshire and West Essex 0845 302 1460 
			 PAYE and SA East Lancashire 0845 302 1441 
			 PAYE and SA Glasgow Blythswood 0845 302 1476 
			 PAYE and SA Gloucester and North Wiltshire 0845 366 7840 
			 PAYE and SA Greater Belfast 0845 302 1469 
			 PAYE and SA Kent 0845 302 1431 
			 PAYE and SA Leicester and Northants 0845 302 1442 
			 PAYE and SA Lincolnshire 0845 302 1449 
			 PAYE and SA Lothians 0845 302 1409 
			 PAYE and SA Manchester 0845 302 1477 
			 PAYE and SA Merseyside 0845 302 1459 
			 PAYE and SA Midlands West 0845 366 7884 
			 PAYE and SA NEMA and Humber 0845 302 1414 
			 PAYE and SA Norfolk 0845 366 7851 
			 PAYE and SA North and South Wales 0845 300 3949 
			 PAYE and SA North West Lancashire 0845 302 1478 
			 PAYE and SA North West Midlands and Shropshire 0845 366 7815 
			 PAYE and SA North Yorkshire 0845 302 1433 
			 PAYE and SA Northern Ireland Counties 0845 302 1481 
			 PAYE and SA Northumbria 0845 302 1456 
			 PAYE and SA Nottingham and Derby 0845 302 1413 
			 PAYE and SA Oxon. and Bucks. 0845 302 1434 
			 PAYE and SA. Scotland Central 0845 302 1448 
			 PAYE and SA Scotland North 0845 302 1410 
			 PAYE and SA Scotland South and East 0845 302 1484 
			 PAYE and SA Scotland West 0845 302 1452 
			 PAYE and SA Sefton 0845 300 3939 
			 PAYE and SA Somerset 0845 302 1483 
			 PAYE and SA South Essex and Central Yorkshire 0845 366 1467 
			 PAYE and SA South Yorkshire 0845 366 7802 
			 PAYE and SA Staffordshire 0845 302 1436 
			 PAYE and SA Suffolk and North Essex 0845 366 7824 
			 PAYE and SA Surrey and Northamptonshire 0845 366 7825 
			 PAYE and SA Sussex 0845 366 7856 
			 PA YE and SA Tees Valley 0845 366 7865 
			 PAYE and SA Warwickshire 0845 366 7842 
			 PAYE and SA Wear and South Tyne 0845 366 7800 
			 PAYE and SA West Hampshire 0845 302 1400 
			 PAYE and SA West Lancashire and West Cheshire 0845 302 1462 
			 PAYE and SA West Wales 0845 302 1471 
			 PAYE and SA West Yorkshire and Craven 0845 302 1432 
			 PAYE and SA Worcester and Hereford 0845 302 1482 
			 Probate and Inheritance Tax Helpline 0845 302 0900 
			 Probate and Inheritance Tax Orderline 0845 234 1000 
			 Residency National Insurance Contributions 0845 915 4811 
			 Residency Tax matters 0845 070 0040 
			 Self Assessment Debit Card Payment Line 0845 305 1000 
			 Self Assessment Helpline 0845 900 0444 
			 Self Assessment Orderline 0845 900 0404 
			 Self Assessment Orderline Fax 0845 900 0604 
			 Stamp Duty Land Tax Helpline 0845 603 0135 
			 Stamp Duty Land Tax Orderline 0845 302 1472 
			 Tax and Benefits Confidential 0845 608 6000 
			 Tax Credits 0845 300 3900 
			 Tax Credits (Textphone) 0845 300 3909 
			 Tax Credits Household Breakdown 0845 366 7864 
			 Tax Credits Orderline 0845 366 7820 
			 Tax Credits Overpayment Hardship 0845 302 1422 
			 Tax Credits Overpayment line (TC610) 0845 302 1429 
			 Tax Credits Payment Helpline 0845 366 1205 
			 Tax Credits Ready Reckoner 0845 366 7867 
			 Tax Credits Recovery line 0845 302 1420 [ appears to be a scam number  TheyWorkForYou ] 
			 Tax Return Simplification Pilot 0845 302 1486 
			 Taxback on Bank and Building Society interest 0845 077 6543 
			 Taxes Orderline 0845 300 0504 
			 VAT Registration and Deregistration Carmarthen 0845 758 5831 
			 VAT Registration and Deregistration Grimsby 0845 039 0279 
			 VAT Registration and Deregistration Newry 0845 711 2114 
			 VAT Registration and Deregistration Wolverhampton 0845 039 0129 
			 VAT, Excise Customs and Duties 0845 010 9000 
			 VAT, Excise Customs and Duties (textphone) 0845 000 0200 
			 Welsh Language Service for Tax and Tax Credits 0845 302 1489 
			 Welsh Language Service for VAT, Excise, Customs 0845 010 0300 
			 Yacht Arrivals/Departures 0845 723 1110 
		
	
	 National Savings and Investments
	NSI has the following 0845 telephone numbers for the public.
	
		
			  Helpline name  Number 
			 General Inquiries/Service line. 0845 964 5000 
			 EASAcalls routed to General Inquiries 0845 366 6667 
			 NSI Tesco Helpline(1) 0845 366 7007 
			 Treasurers Account inquiries(1) 0845 964 5777 
			 Postmasters Helpline 0845 366 0040 
			 Independent Financial Advisers Helpline 0845 971 5401 
			 Welsh Helpline 0845 602 0637 
			 Royal Horticultural Show Line 0845 300 1617 
			 (1 )Treasurers Account and the Tesco's helpline number will close on 30 April 2008. 
		
	
	 The Office of Government Commerce
	The Office of Government Commerce published telephone number is 0845 000 4999. By dialling this number, customers can access the OGC Service Desk which is the focal point for all customer inquiries.
	 OGC Buying Solutions
	Buying Solutions manages customer, supplier and colleague inquiries through a single dedicated helpline service on 0845 410 2222.
	 Royal Mint
	Royal Mint currently has six public facing 0845 numbers in operation used for receiving customer orders and inquiries shown in the following table.
	0845 60 88 222
	0845 60 88 300
	0845 60 88 333
	0845 60 88 444
	0845 60 88 555
	0845 60 99 666
	 Valuation Office Agency
	VOA has two public facing 0845 telephone numbers for council tax banding inquiries, 0845 602 1507 for properties in England and 0845 600 1748 for properties in Wales.
	 (c) 0870  n umbers
	With the exception of HMRC there are no 0870 prefixed telephone services for the public which are in use by the Chancellor's Department or agencies which report to him.
	Within HMRC, some investigation teams have 0870 telephone numbers, and because these appear on correspondence, they are available to the public. Details of these numbers are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Excise Duties: Fuels

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the merits of reducing the level of fuel duty.

Angela Eagle: Decisions on fuel duty are made as part of the Budget process. Government policy are that fuel duty should increase each year at least in line with inflation, as the UK seeks to reduce polluting emissions from fossil fuels, and fund public services.
	The Chancellor considers a range of factors when deciding rates of fuel duty, including social, environmental and economic costs. Budget 2007 therefore announced that main road fuel duty would rise by 2p per litre in 2008. However, in order to respond to short-term economic conditions, at Budget 2008, it was announced that this duty increase would be deferred to 1 October 2008.

Financial Institutions

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which financial bodies which are regulated by the Bank of England have not disclosed fully their exposure to the sub-prime market failings as they affect the UK market.

Kitty Ussher: The Bank of England does not regulate banks. The Financial Services Authority supervises financial services activities in the UK under the powers granted to it in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
	It is the responsibility of banks to publish annual reports that provide a true and fair view of their financial position. For listed companies, the accounting treatment for measurement and disclosure of losses in companies' annual reports, including any in relation to exposure to sub-prime, is governed by the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board and adopted by the EU. Most UK banks have 31 December year-ends and will have included in their annual reports for 2007 their losses as at 31 December 2007. Under IFRS, there is no specific obligation for companies to disclose separately any losses from exposure to the sub-prime market, though many banks did provide such additional disclosures in their 2007 annual reports, reflecting the materiality of the disclosures.
	Any company which has its shares listed on the London Stock Exchange also has a continuing obligation to provide adequate information to the market in a timely manner in order that investors can make informed decisions. Similar arrangements apply to companies with securities trading on other regulated exchanges. With the deterioration in market conditions in relation to sub-prime since 31 December 2007, in particular in March 2008, banks, where they consider it relevant, have disclosed additional losses they have incurred in 2008 in relation to their sub-prime exposure, in accordance with these requirements.

Gaming Machines: Licensing

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of amusement arcades subject to amusement machine licence duty in  (a) 2003-04,  (b) 2004-05,  (c) 2005-06,  (d) 2006-07 and  (e) 2007-08;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of amusement arcades subject to amusement machine licence duty there will be in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11.

Angela Eagle: No breakdown of amusement machine licence duty for amusement arcades is available.

Health

Andy Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the outcomes of the cross-Government Review of Physical Activity will be published.

Yvette Cooper: In the context of the Governments commitments to deliver on the comprehensive spending review, Olympics and Olympic legacy, and provide a world-class community sports infrastructure, a number of Government Departments are considering the most efficient and effective way of maximising the impact of investment in sport and physical activity. Findings of this work will be integrated into a number of forthcoming announcements.

JP Morgan

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department paid to JP Morgan in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the payment was in each case.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury has no record of any payments having been made to JP Morgan since 2002-03 when a new accounting system was introduced. Information on payments made prior to that date could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Landfill Tax

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Landfill Communities Fund and its predecessor received in contributions in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: Annual contributions to environmental bodies in the Landfill Communities Fund were as follows:
	
		
			  Contributions to environmental bodies 
			   £ million 
			 1997-98 74.3 
			 1998-99 86.2 
			 1999-2000 103.0 
			 2000-01 121.4 
			 2001-02 141.2 
			 2002-03 144.8 
			 2003-04 50.8 
			 2004-05 49.8 
			 2005-06 51.3 
			 2006-07 61.1

Landfill Tax

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was received in landfill tax receipts in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: Landfill tax receipts are published by HM Revenue and Customs at:
	http://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bulllandfill

Landfill Tax: Carbon Emissions

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of reductions in carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the landfill tax in each year since 1997, excluding any savings made as a result of the Landfill Communities Fund.

Angela Eagle: The environmental impacts of Budget measures are published in the Budget document. Table 6.2 of Budget 2008 confirms that the landfill tax is expected to save up to 0.2 MtC a year by 2010.

Landfill Tax: Carbon Emissions

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the Landfill Communities Fund and its predecessor in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: The landfill communities fund aims to redress some of the environmental costs of landfill by improving the environment in the vicinity of landfill sites. Examples of the types of projects funded include the construction and repairs of village halls, repairs to churches and historic buildings, and the provision of sports facilities, cycle trails and wildlife sanctuaries.
	No assessment has been made of the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the landfill communities fund.

Poverty

Susan Kramer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what definition his Department uses of relative poverty; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Government monitor a number of poverty indicators for different demographic groups included in Households Below Average Income 2005-06, published by the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The definition of relative poverty underpinning the Government's objective to halve child poverty by 2010-11 uses a measure of the number of children living in households below 60 per cent. of contemporary median equivalised household income. Further details of this measure are set out in the HM Government public service agreement delivery agreement 9, October 2007.

Smuggling: Tobacco

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of illegal cigarettes sold in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months; and what proportion that was of the total number of cigarettes sold in Northern Ireland in that period.

Angela Eagle: The most recent estimates for the volume and market share of cigarettes that are illegally sold in the UK are for 2005-06 and were published by HMRC in the report Measuring Indirect Tax Losses2007 which is available in the House of Commons Library.
	Specific estimates for Northern Ireland are not available.
	In 2007-08, HMRC seized approximately 4.6 million cigarettes in Northern Ireland compared to 591 million cigarettes for the UK as a whole.

Tax Evasion: Contracts

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals for legislation to provide that any organisation convicted of tax evasion will not be allowed to compete for public contracts.

Angela Eagle: The public contracts regulations 2006, which implements the EU public procurement directive, permits public authorities to exclude from a procurement process any organisation that has not met its obligations relating to the payment of taxes.
	Any decision whether or not to apply such an exclusion is for the individual purchasing authority to make, having regard to the circumstances of the procurement in question.

Tax Havens: International Cooperation

Andy Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking in co-operation with other governments and international organisations to tackle tax havens; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Government are committed to combating tax evasion and avoidance and is working closely with EU and OECD partners to tackle the problem. Tax havens are characterised by banking secrecy and a lack of cooperation for tax compliance purposes. A key objective therefore is to increase transparency and exchange of information. The EU savings directive and the associated agreements with non-EU countries and territories play an important part in this. The current review of the directive is an opportunity to pursue our objective. Within the OECD there is a renewed determination to push forward the process of negotiating tax information exchange agreements with offshore jurisdictions. We urge all countries, including tax havens, to meet OECD transparency standards.

Taxation: Pensions

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the additional tax revenue that would be raised in 2008-09 if the tax relief on pension contributions were restricted to the basic rate of income tax.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Rob Marris) on 30 April 2008,  Official Report, column 477W.

Taxation: Public Appointments

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who the members of the business-Government forum on tax are; and what criteria were used to select the members of the forum.

Jane Kennedy: The members of the business-Government forum on tax are:
	Richard Lambert, Conference for British Industry
	Douglas Flint, HSBC Holdings plc
	Julian Heslop, GlaxoSmithKline plc
	Hanif Lalani, BT Group plc
	James Lawrence, Unilever plc
	Andrew Shilston, Rolls-Royce Group plc
	Byron Grote, BP plc
	Nicolas Moreau, AXA (UK) plc
	Duncan Tatton-Brown, Kingfisher plc
	Andrew Maclaughlin, Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc
	Michael Devereux, Saïd Business School
	Parthasarathi Shome, HM Revenue and Customs
	Adam Lent, Trades Union Congress
	In inviting members, the Government have endeavoured to involve people who have practical experience of managing tax issues in a global context or are experts on the economics of tax.

Taxation: Small Businesses

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with  (a) small businesses and  (b) organisations representing small businesses on membership of the business-Government forum on tax.

Jane Kennedy: The Chancellor made clear in announcing the business-Government forum that it would focus on discussing ways in which the tax system can provide the long-term certainty multinational companies need. This reflects both the importance of these companies to the UK economy and the fact that many aspects of global economic change most directly affect them. The membership of the forum will reflect this.
	The Government do consult widely with small business on specific tax issues, for example in the current consultations on tax simplification for smaller businesses. In addition, the Small Business Forum (SBF), set up in May 2007, provides an informal mechanism for Ministers to engage with the small business community on a wide range of issues.

Taxation: Trade Unions

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with trades unions on membership of the business-Government forum on tax.

Jane Kennedy: The Government have invited Adam Lent, the Trades Union Congress Head of Economics and Social Affairs, to be a member of the business-Government forum on tax.

Welfare Tax Credits: Complaints

Jon Trickett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints his Department has received on the tax credit system from residents of Hemsworth constituency in the last 12 months.

Jane Kennedy: The information is not available at constituency level.

Welfare Tax Credits: Daycare

Susan Kramer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of extending the child care element of the working tax credit to workless households; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not available.
	The child care element of working tax credit is designed to help overcome the child care cost barrier that often prevents people taking up or returning to work.

Welfare Tax Credits: ICT

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the technical problems on the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) computer system which are preventing the resolution of the tax credits claim for 2004-05 by Mr. Marshall of Ferndown to be overcome; what the technical problems are; what estimate he has made of the number of HMRC customers who are similarly affected; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Exchequer Secretary (Angela Eagle) on 7 February 2008,  Official Report column 1374W, which explained that the Tax Credit Office wrote to him on 6 February 2008.

Zurich Financial Services

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department paid to Zurich Financial Services in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the payment was in each case.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury has no record of any payments having been made to Zurich Financial Services since 2002-03 when a new accounting system was introduced. Information on payments made prior to that date could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have been dealt with under the legacy exercise; how many have  (a) resulted in the grant of leave to remain in the UK,  (b) resulted in the removal of an individual from the UK and  (c) been discovered to be the result of a duplicate file or error; and how many dependants have been granted leave to remain in the UK as the result of the grant of leave to remain to an individual.

Liam Byrne: In her letter of 17 December 2007 to the Home Affairs Select Committee, Lin Homer, Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency stated that of the 52,000 older asylum cases that had been concluded, 19,000 had led to grants of leave, 16,000 had led to removals and 17,000 had been closed due to previously erroneous or duplicate records. Lin Homer is due to update the Home Affairs Select Committee on the work to clear the backlog next month.

Bird and Bird

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contracts were awarded by her Department to Bird and Bird solicitors in each year since 2005; and what the  (a) value and  (b) duration of each such contract was.

Liam Byrne: The  (a) value and  (b) duration of contracts awarded by the Home Department to Bird and Bird solicitors in each year since 2005 are as follows:
	
		
			  Year awarded  Contract and duration  Value (£) 
			 2005-06 IPS ad hoc property legal advice 6,889 
			 2006-07 IPS ad hoc property legal advice 7,757 
			 2007-08 IPS ad hoc property legal advice 3,025

Crimes of Violence: Children

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children under the age of 10 years were the victims of recorded crimes of  (a) assault,  (b) actual bodily harm,  (c) grievous bodily harm and  (d) other crimes of violence in (i) 2005, (ii) 2006 and (iii) 2007, broken down by police force area.

Vernon Coaker: It is not possible to determine the age of crime victims from the recorded crime statistics collected centrally by the Home Office.
	Separate information is collected for offences initially recorded as homicide. Available data relate to homicides recorded by police in England and Wales between 2004-05 and 2006-07, and are given in the table. Data for 2007-08 are not yet available.
	
		
			  Homicides currently recorded( 1 ) where victim aged under 10 years, by police force area: England and Wales 2004-05 to 2006-07( 2) 
			   Year offence initially recorded as homicide( 3) 
			  Police force area  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset  1  
			 Bedfordshire  1  
			 British Transport Police  2  
			 Cambridgeshire 1  2 
			 Cheshire 1 1  
			 Cleveland 1 1  
			 Cumbria    
			 Derbyshire    
			 Devon and Cornwall 2 1 1 
			 Dorset   1 
			 Durham   2 
			 Dyfed Powys    
			 Essex 2 1 1 
			 Gloucestershire 1 1  
			 Greater Manchester 3 3 5 
			 Gwent   1 
			 Hampshire 2 1 2 
			 Hertfordshire 1   
			 Humberside 2 1 2 
			 Kent 3   
			 Lancashire 1  2 
			 Leicestershire 1 2 3 
			 Lincolnshire    
			 London, City of    
			 Merseyside 5 1  
			 Metropolitan Police 9 7 12 
			 Norfolk    
			 North Wales 1  2 
			 North Yorkshire 1   
			 Northamptonshire  2  
			 Northumbria  2 1 
			 Nottinghamshire 1  1 
			 South Wales  1 1 
			 South Yorkshire 2  1 
			 Staffordshire  1  
			 Suffolk    
			 Surrey    
			 Sussex 2  1 
			 Thames Valley 2 2 1 
			 Warwickshire    
			 West Mercia  2  
			 West Midlands 3 2 5 
			 West Yorkshire 1 1 2 
			 Wiltshire  1  
			 Total 48 38 49 
			 (1) As at 12 November 2007; figures are revised as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available. (2) Data for 2007-08 are scheduled to be published in January 2009. (3) Offences are shown according to the year in which the police initially recorded the offence as homicide. This is not necessarily the year in which the incident took place or the year in which any court decision was made.

Departmental Aviation

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by her Department on flights  (a) within England and  (b) outside the UK in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: Information on flights within England alone could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department's recorded spend on UK and overseas flights is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Home Office expenditure on flights 
			  £ million 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 UK 0.99 1.63 1.88 1.05 1.17 
			 Overseas 0.42 2.59 1.65 2.19 1.39 
			 Total 1.41 4.22 3.53 3.24 2.56 
		
	
	The aforementioned figures include expenditure by the core Home Office, the UK Border Agency, the National Offender Management Service and the Office for Criminal Justice Reform (the latter two transferred to the Ministry of Justice in 2007).
	The Department expects all official travel to be carried out by the most efficient and economic means available, taking into account the cost of travel and subsistence, savings in official time, management benefit, and the needs of staff with disabilities. This is in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code.

Departmental Catering

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of food and drink procured for working lunches attended by officials at which no external invitees were present in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: An answer could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental ICT

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) male and  (b) female members of staff in her Department were issued with personal digital assistants in each year since 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The requested information is given in the following table.
	Data for Blackberry and Personal Digital Assistants issued to staff for years 2005 until 2008 is shown in the table as follows.
	It would not be economically viable to provide data for years 2001-04.
	
		
			  Blackberry and PDA 
			   Male  Female 
			 2005 64 28 
			 2006 163 74 
			 2007 128 70 
			 2008 4 4 
		
	
	In addition to these numbers there are another four PDAs issued to male members of staff since 2001, however it is not possible to specify the year they were issued.

Drugs

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials in her Department were disciplined or dismissed for taking illegal drugs in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: No members of staff within Home Office headquarters or the UK Border Agency were disciplined or dismissed for illicit drug taking between 1 January 2005 and 31 March 2008.
	Information prior to 1 January 2005 is not held centrally within Home Office HQ or UKBA and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	No members of staff within the Identity and Passport Service or the Criminal Records Bureau were disciplined or dismissed for illicit drug taking between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2008.

Government House

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Government House in Pimlico has been placed for sale on the market.

Liam Byrne: The appointed sales agent expects to complete their due diligence and submit their disposal report imminently. A decision on timing and method of sale will then be taken.

Homicide

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences of homicide there were where the killing arose from the use of  (a) a sharp instrument and  (b) a firearm in each police force area in each of the last 10 years.

Vernon Coaker: Available information relates to the number of homicides recorded between 1997-98 and 2006-07 where the apparent method of killing was sharp instrument or shooting.
	
		
			  Table A: Homicides currently recorded( 1)  where apparent method of killing is sharp instrument( 2) , by police force area: England and Wales 1997-98 to 2006-07( 3) 
			   Year offence initially recorded as homicide( 4) 
			  Police force area  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset 3 5 5 3 4 4 4 4 2 3 
			 Bedfordshire 3 2 1 2 7 1 1 4 3 3 
			 British Transport Police           
			 Cambridgeshire 1 1 4  1 2 5 1 2 2 
			 Cheshire 3 3   3 2 5 3 7 3 
			 Cleveland 1 1 3 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 
			 Cumbria 3 1 5 3 1 2 1 1 - - 
			 Derbyshire 2 1 2 1 4 2 3 2 2 3 
			 Devon and Cornwall 8 6 1 5 6 2 3 10 5 5 
			 Dorset 1 1 1 3  3 6   2 
			 Durham 3 2  1 2 3  2 3 5 
			 Dyfed Powys  2  1  3   2 1 
			 Essex 1 5 9 2 10 7 5  6 9 
			 Gloucestershire 1 1 3  3 3 2 2  2 
			 Greater Manchester 16 14 10 14 23 19 17 15 11 12 
			 Gwent  1 1 2 2 2  4 1 2 
			 Hampshire 1 3 5 4 7 9 3 7 4 7 
			 Hertfordshire 2 1 5 4 3 4 4 5 3 6 
			 Humberside 2 2 2 2 3 5 8 3 1 7 
			 Kent 7 3 8 4 10 6 4 4 7 6 
			 Lancashire 6 2 1 15 4 10 12 11 1 4 
			 Leicestershire 1 1  4 2 4 9 3 3 5 
			 Lincolnshire  1 2  1 2 2   3 
			 London, City of          1 
			 Merseyside 8 11 6 13 3 12 10 14 10 10 
			 Metropolitan Police 62 52 68 69 68 68 61 62 56 68 
			 Norfolk  5 2 4 1  3 1 1 3 
			 North Wales 2  2 1 2 4  5 2 1 
			 North Yorkshire 1  1    1 3 2  
			 Northamptonshire 2 2 1 3 3 5 1  6 6 
			 Northumbria 11 5 9 5 4 8 8 6 7 10 
			 Nottinghamshire 3 6 5 4 6 3 6 6 7 7 
			 South Wales 9 9 6 3 10 1 3 4 2 7 
			 South Yorkshire 2 3 4 4 6 7 2 7 6 3 
			 Staffordshire 4 4 2  1  3 3 2 5 
			 Suffolk    3 2  2 2 3 2 
			 Surrey 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 4 3 - 
			 Sussex 4 4 5 5 6 9 3 9 4 2 
			 Thames Valley 7 7 8 3 9 13 3 6 7 6 
			 Warwickshire  2 1  1 2 2 3 1 5 
			 West Mercia 3 3 1 3 5 2 5 3  3 
			 West Midlands 4 16 15 9 19 17 22 21 22 15 
			 West Yorkshire 12 12 7 8 11 13 7 13 11 10 
			 Wiltshire 2  1  3 2 2 3 1 1 
			 Total 202 201 213 213 261 265 242 259 219 258 
			 (1) As at 12 November 2007; figures are revised as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available. (2) Includes knives as well as other sharp instruments. (3) Data for 2007-08 are scheduled to be published in January 2009. (4) Offences are shown according to the year in which the police initially recorded the offence as homicide. This is not necessarily the year in which the incident took place or the year in which any court decision was made. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: Homicides currently recorded( 1)  where apparent method of killing is shooting( 2) , by police force area: England and Wales 1997-98 to 2006-07( 3) 
			   Year offence initially recorded as homicide( 4) 
			  Police force area  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset  1  2  6 3   1 
			 Bedfordshire 1       2   
			 British Transport Police           
			 Cambridgeshire   1 1 2   1   
			 Cheshire           
			 Cleveland  1 2  1      
			 Cumbria           
			 Derbyshire   1     1  1 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1 1 1 1   2 1   
			 Dorset     1      
			 Durham 1 2         
			 Dyfed Powys    1 2 1     
			 Essex 1 1 1 1 2 2   2  
			 Gloucestershire    1       
			 Greater Manchester 5 1 7 11 11 6 9 7 5 4 
			 Gwent 1        1  
			 Hampshire 1    1    1  
			 Hertfordshire    1   2 1   
			 Humberside  1 2   1   1 1 
			 Kent 2 2 3 2 2  2 1 1  
			 Lancashire 1 1 2 2 1 1 1    
			 Leicestershire 1 1 2  1  1 1   
			 Lincolnshire    2 2 1 1 2   
			 London, City of           
			 Merseyside 3 2 3 3 6 5 5 7 1 5 
			 Metropolitan Police 23 18 26 26 43 31 21 24 22 29 
			 Norfolk   1 1  1     
			 North Wales           
			 North Yorkshire 1        1  
			 Northamptonshire     2  1    
			 Northumbria  1 3 2    1  5 
			 Nottinghamshire   1  2 3 5 5  1 
			 South Wales      1     
			 South Yorkshire      2   2 4 
			 Staffordshire     1 1   1 1 
			 Suffolk    1  1    1 
			 Surrey    5    3   
			 Sussex 1 1   2 1 1   1 
			 Thames Valley 1 2 1 2 1  4 3 1  
			 Warwickshire      1   1  
			 West Mercia 1 1  1    1   
			 West Midlands 3 5 3 3 7 9 6 6 5 3 
			 West Yorkshire 2 4 1 3 7 1 3 3 4 2 
			 Wiltshire           
			 Total 52 46 61 72 97 75 67 70 49 59 
			 (1) As at 12 November 2007; figures are revised as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available. (2) Includes shooting by crossbows. Excludes cases where firearm was used as a blunt instrument. (3) Data for 2007-08 are scheduled to be published in January 2009. (4) Offences are shown according to the year in which the police initially recorded the offence as homicide. This is not necessarily the year in which the incident took place or the year in which any court decision was made.

Hotels

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much  (a) her Department and  (b) each of its agencies spent on hotel and other such accommodation for staff (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office's, Identity and Passport Service's (IPS) and the Criminal Records Bureau's (CRB) recorded expenditure on accommodation is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Expenditure on accommodation 
			  £000 
			2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Home Office UK  0 1,033 2,408 1,213 
			  Overseas  1,614 1,467 5,602 4,318 
			 CRB  273 308 461 154 81 
			 IPS UK 525 589 619 942 1,865 
			  Overseas 0 1 5 10 8 
		
	
	The figures for the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) are included within those of the Home Office's shown in the table.
	CRB cannot provide a UK/overseas split without incurring disproportionate cost.
	Figures for the Home Office accommodation for 2003-04 and for UK accommodation 2004-05 were included in subsistence account codes and cannot now be separately identified.
	The Department expects all official travel, and the associated accommodation, to be undertaken by the most efficient and economic means available, taking into account the cost of travel and subsistence, savings in official time, management benefit, and the needs of staff with disabilities. This is in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code.

Human Trafficking: Children

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of children identified as subjects of trafficking were granted  (a) asylum or  (b) leave to remain in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: Information on how many children identified as subjects of trafficking were granted asylum or leave to remain on other grounds is not available and could be available only by examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.

Immigration

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) families and  (b) individuals, including dependants, were allowed to remain in the United Kingdom under the seven year concession policy operated by the Border and Immigration Agency in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: Over the years, a number of families and individuals have benefited from the provisions of the seven year child concession. However, the information on how many families and individuals have been allowed to remain in the UK under the policy is obtainable only at a disproportionate cost. It is not possible to identify these cases from others granted leave outside the rules without a manual examination of individual case files.

Immigration Officers

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the Border and Immigration Agency paid in overtime to immigration officers in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: The information requested for the whole period 1997-2007 can be provided only at disproportionate cost. The total pay bill for the 12 months period up to November 2007 was £515,556,285 of which £8,622,836 accounted for overtime payments. This excludes any travel time or premium payments which may also count as overtime. The figures cover all grades including immigration officers. Overtime is monitored by business finance teams.

Immigration: Detention Centres

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether mobile detention centres have been used in  (a) pre-planned Border and Immigration Agency or UK Border Agency raids and  (b) at the request of local constabularies following the apprehension of suspected illegal immigrants;
	(2)  how many suspected illegal immigrants have been apprehended by mobile detention centres;
	(3)  how many man hours have been spent in the operation of mobile detention centres;
	(4)  how much has been spent on procurement of mobile detention centres;
	(5)  for how many hours mobile detention centres have been in operation since January 2008;
	(6)  how many mobile detention centres were operational in April 2008.

Liam Byrne: UKBA recently piloted the use of a short-term holding facility at small south coast sea ports, primarily Poole. During this period, the merit of using this type of facility for both pre-planned operations and to apprehend illegal immigrants was considered. A version of this vehicle, informed by the earlier pilot but with a different specification is currently being developed to meet the needs of our enforcement teams. UKBA is on track to pilot the new vehicle during autumn 2008 in the Northampton area. Funding for this trial will be from within existing resources and is commercial in confidence.

Licensing Act 2003: Prosecutions

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there were under section 149 of the Licensing Act 2003 in each year since its entry into force.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 16 May 2008
	 The number of prosecutions under section 149 of the Licensing Act 2003 are contained within the following table. Additionally, there were 104 penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) issued under section 149 of the Licensing Act 2003 in 2005, and a further 133 PNDs issued in 2006.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences under section 149 of the Licensing Act 2003, England and Wales, 2005( 1)  to 2006( 2,3) 
			   Year  Number 
			 143/82 2005 0 
			 143/83 2006 21 
			 (1) The Licensing Act 2003 came into effect from 24 November 2005. There were no prosecutions under section 149 of the Act in that year. (2) These data are on the principal offence basis. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: CJEA-OCJR

Offenders: Deportation

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures she has implemented to assess the effectiveness of the policy of deporting foreign prisoners on completion of their sentences; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 13 May 2008
	We have made it perfectly clear that our objective is that foreign national prisoners should face deportation when they meet the relevant criteria and that deportation should happen as early as possible in their sentence. Over 4,200 foreign national prisoners have been removed or deported from the UK in 2007. This means that the UK Border Agency has removed over 80 per cent. more foreign national prisoners than in 2006.
	From this summer the agency will begin commencement of the automatic deportation provisions contained in the UK Borders Act 2007. The Act places a duty on the Secretary of State to make a deportation order in respect of a non-European economic area national who has been sentenced to either a period of imprisonment of at least 12 months or a period of imprisonment of any length for a particularly serious offence, as listed under section 72 of the Nationality and Asylum Act, 2002). The provisions enable the agency to speed up the removals process by ensuring that unless the foreign criminal has an arguable asylum or human rights claim, they will only have a right of appeal from outside the UK.

Passports: Interviews

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many personal passport interviews have been held in each passport interview office.

Jacqui Smith: During the past 12 months there has been a gradual build-up in capacity of the interview office network to ensure operational safety and maintenance of high customer service standards during the roll-out. The following shows the number of interviews conducted during this period of roll-out of the new capability:
	
		
			  Interview office  Passport interviews completed 
			 Aberdeen 455 
			 Aberystwyth 167 
			 Andover 390 
			 Armagh 227 
			 Belfast 1,789 
			 Berwick on Tweed 97 
			 Birmingham 6,901 
			 Blackburn 1,489 
			 Bournemouth 774 
			 Brighton 0 
			 Bristol 1,309 
			 Bury St Edmunds 435 
			 Carlisle 417 
			 Chelmsford 1,752 
			 Cheltenham 954 
			 Coleraine 384 
			 Crawley 1,157 
			 Derby 1,867 
			 Dover 537 
			 Dumfries 172 
			 Dundee 518 
			 Edinburgh 1,138 
			 Exeter 718 
			 Glasgow 3,659 
			 Inverness 237 
			 Ipswich 821 
			 Kendal 420 
			 Kings Lynn 294 
			 Kingston upon Hull 1,056 
			 Leeds 4,010 
			 Leicester 1,309 
			 Lincoln 993 
			 Liverpool 3,471 
			 London 24,633 
			 Luton 1,789 
			 Maidstone 1,205 
			 Manchester 5,829 
			 Middlesbrough 1,603 
			 Newcastle 3,398 
			 Newport 3,343 
			 Newport IOW 207 
			 Northampton 1,062 
			 Norwich 732 
			 Oban 0 
			 Omagh 181 
			 Oxford 664 
			 Peterborough 1,873 
			 Plymouth 821 
			 Portsmouth 1,638 
			 Reading 1,778 
			 Redruth 304 
			 Ripon 159 
			 Scarborough 256 
			 Selkirk 83 
			 Sheffield 3,229 
			 Shrewsbury 647 
			 Sleaford 221 
			 South Molton 186 
			 St Austell 236 
			 Stirling 433 
			 Stoke on Trent 1,455 
			 Swansea 1,098 
			 Swindon 517 
			 Warwick 864 
			 Wick 65 
			 Wrexham 733 
			 Yeovil 637 
			 York 430

Public Order Offences: Airports

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received from airport operators on threats to public order arising from overcrowding or delays in processing passengers.

Liam Byrne: The UK Border Agency regularly engage with all airport operators throughout the country to ensure that arriving flights are managed effectively, that passengers are processed efficiently.
	Specific approaches in relation to overcrowding have been made by BAA Glasgow and the airport operators at Stansted.

Work Permits

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people granted entry into the United Kingdom on a working holiday visa have  (a) lost their immigration status and  (b) had to return to their country of origin in order to reapply for entry into the UK since the introduction of the points-based system.

Liam Byrne: The working holidaymaker scheme (WHS) will be abolished later this year when the new Youth Mobility Scheme under the Points-Based System (PBS) is launched. All those who have valid working holiday visas granted before the abolition of the scheme will not lose their working holidaymaker status, and will be able to complete their working holiday.
	Working holidaymakers will remain able to switch in country into the Innovator or Businesspersons categories until those categories are closed down at the end of the summer, and those eligible under the current immigration rules to switch into employment in shortage occupations will be able to do so until the work permits provisions are closed down in the autumn. Since under the PBS it will not be possible to switch from Tier 5: youth mobility into Tier 1: highly skilled migrants, we announced, in anticipation of that, there would be no switching from the WHS into Tier 1 in our Statement of Intent, published on 5 December 2007. Working holidaymakers who wish to work in the UK as highly skilled migrants therefore need to return to their home country to apply for the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) before it is closes at the end of the summer, or for Tier 1 (General) once HSMP has been closed. There are no figures available for how many working holidaymaker have returned home to apply for HSMP entry clearances.

Work Permits

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were granted working holiday visas in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: The total number of working holidaymaker visas issued globally in each of the last five years for which visa statistics have been published are as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2001-02 46,078 
			 2002-03 49,365 
			 2003-04 59,822 
			 2004-05 69,504 
			 2005-06 52,600 
			  Source:  Annual Entry Clearance Statistics, UKBA Visa Services website.

HEALTH

Abortion

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many abortions at 24 weeks gestation and later there were in England in 2007;
	(2)  how many  (a) second,  (b) third,  (c) fourth and  (d) fifth abortions were carried out in England and Wales in 2007.

Dawn Primarolo: The annual 2007 Abortion Statistics will be published by the Department of Health in June 2008.

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 30 April 2008,  Official Report, column 442W, on abortion, what estimate he has made of the cost of providing a copy of his Departments file CPO 2/29 David Amesss Abortion (Amendment) Bill; how many parts the file consists of; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The answer of 30 April 2008 was based on the cost of providing both sets of requested files. The cost of providing a copy of file CPO 2/29 does not incur disproportionate cost. Copies of the file have now been placed in the Library. The file consists of one volume only and the majority of the contents have been withheld. The individual reasons for this are stated within the copy of the file.

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will undertake research into the effects of abortion on the mental health of women; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Officials from the Department are working with the Royal College of Psychiatrists to discuss what further work might be undertaken in the light of their draft position statement.

Ambulance Services

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new ambulances were purchased by the NHS in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: This information is not held centrally. The purchasing of ambulances is a matter for national health service ambulance trusts to manage in order to provide appropriate resources to meet local demand.

Ambulance Services

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how each ambulance service performed against targets for  (a) category A eight-minute response,  (b) category A 19-minute response and  (c) category B 19 minute response in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The ambulance response time data that is collected, and which includes performance against targets for category A eight-minute and 19- minute responses, and category B 19-minute responses is published annually in the KA34 statistical bulletin. Ambulance response time data for 2007-08 is planned for publication by the Information Centre for health and social care in June 2008.
	The latest KA34 statistical bulletin, Ambulance Services, England, 2006-07 was published in June 2007 and copies are available in the Library and on the Information Centre for health and social cares website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statisticsanddatacollections/auditsand performance/ambulance/ambulanceservices-england-2006-07

Blood: Medical Treatments

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on a national cord blood donation programme.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department is conducting a review, including a dialogue with stakeholders, to examine current United Kingdom practice on the collection and use of umbilical cord blood and to compare this practice with other countries. This analysis will be used to inform future policy on cord blood.

Cancer: East of England

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mortality rate for head and neck cancers was in  (a) the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, Norwich  (b) Ipswich Hospital,  (c) Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford,  (d) Colchester Hospital and  (e) Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge in each of the last three years.

Phil Hope: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 19 May 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the mortality rate for head and neck cancers was in (a) the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, Norwich (b) Ipswich Hospital, (c) Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, (d) Colchester Hospital and (e) Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge in each of the last three years. (205401)
	It is not possible for ONS to calculate mortality rates for specific conditions for individual hospitals, as there are no readily available data for the denominator populations.
	Analyses of mortality rates for specific cancers, including cancer of the brain, and cancer of the lip, oral cavity and pharynx, are undertaken annually by ONS and are reported for England and Wales as a whole. The latest figures currently available are for the year 2006.(l)
	(1) Death rates per million population for England and Wales, by selected underlying cause, sex and age group are available from the following link:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=618Pos=ColRank=lRank=208
	Data for 2004-2006 are available in the following volumes and tables:
	2004: DH2 no. 31, table 4
	2005: DH2 no. 32, table 4
	2006: Mortality Statistics: Deaths registered in 2006, table 8

Cancer: Medical Treatments

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on research and development of anti-cancer surgical procedures in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 16 May 2008
	The available information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Departmental expenditure on cancer surgery research 
			   £ million 
			 2002-03 3 
			 2003-04 3 
			 2004-05 2.9 
			 2005-06 2.9 
			 2006-07 3.6 
		
	
	Over the last 10 years, the main part of the Departments total expenditure on health research has been devolved to and managed by national health service organisations. Details of individual NHS supported research projects undertaken during that time, including a substantial number concerned with surgical treatment of cancer, are available on the archived national research register at:
	https://portal.nihr.ac.uk/Pages/NRRArchiveSearch.aspx
	The departmental expenditure figures shown in the table relate only to national research programmes.
	The Medical Research Council (MRC), one of the main agencies through which the United Kingdom Government support medical and clinical research, are currently funding a broad portfolio of cancer research that includes early stage trials and basic and underpinning research. Most of the MRC-funded cancer trials relate to combination therapies, although the MRC does support a small number of trials where surgery is a critical element of the intervention.

Departmental Equality

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department met the Civil Service diversity targets set out on page 51 of the Cabinet Office Annual Report 2007 by April 2008.

Ben Bradshaw: The latest published statistics against overall civil service targets were at October 2007, and are available on the civil service website at:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/diversity/monitoring.asp
	The final measurement against the targets will be published in autumn 2008.
	At April 2008 the Department met three of the four civil service diversity targets:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  Target  Civil service  Department of Health( 1) 
			 Women in the senior civil service (SCS) 37.0 40.6 
			 Women in top management posts (SCS2 and above) 30.0 26.9 
			 Ethnic minority staff in the SCS 4.0 8.5 
			 Disabled staff in the SCS 3.2 4.7 
			 (1) Including its agencies

Departmental Freedom of Information

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many freedom of information requests made to his Department were  (a) answered (i) within 20 days, (ii) within 40 days, (iii) within 60 days, (iv) after 60 days,  (b) not answered and  (c) answered citing an exemption in the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as a reason not to provide the requested information in each year since the Act came into force.

Ben Bradshaw: The Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires public bodies to respond to written requests within 20 working days of receipt, but allows additional time for the consideration of the public interest in disclosing the requested information.
	The Act came into force on 1 January 2005. The following table sets out, for 2005 and 2006, figures for the Department drawn from the statistical reports listed. The figures shown for 2007 are drawn from statistics published by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) for each quarter in 2007.
	
		
			   Resolvable Requests( 1) 
			   Responses provided  
			   Within 20 days  Percentage in time  Exemption applied 
			 2005 813 71 223 
			 2006 1,154 89 249 
			 2007 1,113 91 258 
			 (1 )Resolvable requests are all those where it would have been possible to provide a substantive response. They exclude requests which are lapsed or on-hold, where the information was not held, and where it was necessary to provide advice and assistance to the requester, since in each of these cases it would not have been possible to resolve the request in the form it was asked. 
		
	
	The MOJ publishes quarterly and annual reports containing statistical information on freedom of information requests received by monitored bodies (including central Government Departments) in 2005 (Freedom of Information Annual Report 2005: Operation of the FOI Act in Central Government) and 2006 (Freedom of Information Act 2000: Second Annual report on the operation of the FOI Act in Central Government 2006). These reports are available in the Library and can be found at:
	www.dca.gov.uk/foi/reference/statisticsAndReports.htm
	The 2007 annual report is currently being drafted for publication in June 2008. However, statistics on requests received in each quarter of 2007 have been published and can be found via the MOJ website at:
	www.justice.gov.uk/publications/freedomofinformation quarterly.htm
	The published reports provide statistics on non-routine requests received during each period where: an initial response was provided within 20 working days; an initial response was given outside this time but a public interest test extension had been applied; an initial response was given outside this time and no public interest test extension was applied, and where no initial response had been given at the time the statistics were collected.
	The 2006 annual report provides statistics on the duration of the public interest test extensions in that year. Corresponding statistics for 2007 will be available when the 2007 annual report is published.
	Information on requests where deadlines were extended beyond 40 days is not collected in the form requested.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many working days were lost by his Department due to stress-related illness in each of the last 24 months.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department does not record sickness absence due to stress, but uses a broader category of mental health, including depression, anxiety and potential stress-related problems. We do not monitor working days lost by reason each month, but produce information on a rolling year basis. The total number of working days lost for this reason in the calendar year 2007 was 2,097.
	The Department has recently improved its internal reporting of sickness absence by reason by drawing information direct from its payroll system. This was in response to concerns that some absences on its human resources system were not being closed properly, leading to absence levels being overestimated. The 2006 figure of 4,305 working days lost is therefore an overestimate and not directly comparable with 2007.

Departmental Sick Leave

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many days sick leave were taken on average by staff in his Department in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: Until recently the Cabinet Office produced annual reports of sickness absence across the civil service. Recent figures taken from these on average working days lost (AWDL) due to sickness per member of staff in the Department are:
	
		
			Coverage  AWDL 
			 2006-07 Financial year Core Department only 6.5 
			 2005 Calendar year Core Department only 7.0 
			 2004 Calendar year Department and its agencies 3.8 
			 2003 Calendar year Department and its agencies 5.4 
			 2002 Calendar year Department and its agencies 4.7 
		
	
	The change in the figures from calendar years to financial year between 2005 and 2006-07 reflects a change in the annual period covered by the reports. The change from the Department and its agencies to the Core Department only between 2004 and 2005 reflects a change in the level of aggregation of information in the reports.

Drugs: Misuse

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into the  (a) levels and  (b) implications for public health of cocaine abuse in urban areas.

Dawn Primarolo: Provision of trend data on the level of use of cocaine and other illegal drugs is a matter for the Home Office.
	Cocaine is a class A drug and its harmful effects on the health of individuals are well known. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs keeps the available evidence on the harms of cocaine, and other drugs, under review. Through campaigns such as Frank, the Department will continue to promote the message that cocaine use is harmful and should be avoided.

Electromagnetic Fields: EU Law

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings he has had with his European counterparts on the revision of the Physical Agents (Electromagnetic Fields) Directive; and when he expects the proposal for a revised Directive to be brought forward.

Anne McGuire: I have been asked to reply.
	There have been no ministerial discussions with European counterparts. However, officials from the Health and Safety Executive have recently met with representatives of the European Commission, and also those of other member states and interested stakeholders, to discuss the way forward for this directive. The European Commission has indicated that it intends to carry out a full impact assessment and will engage in social dialogue before publishing a proposal for a revised directive. This is unlikely to emerge before 2010.

Food: Salt

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of the population which consumes six grams or less of salt per day.

Dawn Primarolo: The last estimate of salt intakes, via urinary analysis, which was carried out in 2005-06 suggests that 11 per cent. of men and 30 per cent. of women, aged 19 to 64 years, consumed an average of 6 grams of salt or less per day.

Food: Salt

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance the Food Standards Agency provides to specific sub-groups of the population on dietary salt intake.

Dawn Primarolo: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends an average intake of 6 grams of salt a day for adults and children over the age of 11. Lower recommendations have been set, pro rata, for children under that age.
	Guidance on achieving these recommendations is on the FSAs website at:
	www.salt.gov.uk
	in written resources, and has been made more widely available though the FSAs mass media campaigns which have included specific projects targeted at providing information to particular sub groups such as parents, children, ethnic minorities and older people.

Food: Salt

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of its joint campaign with the Food Standards Agency to reduce average daily salt intake.

Dawn Primarolo: The Food Standards Agency has in place a programme to monitor the effectiveness of its consumer campaign and reductions in average population daily salt intakes as a result of the overall salt reduction programme.
	Evaluations of the three-phase consumer campaign have shown that the number of consumers claiming to be cutting down on salt increased to as much as one-third. Since the start of the campaign there has also been a 10-fold increase in awareness of the 6 grams (g) a day message and the number of consumers trying to cut down on salt by checking the label has doubled.
	The results of a urinary analysis survey that took place in 2005-06 showed a small but significant fall in the average population daily salt intake of 0.5 g. Further urinary analysis survey results are expected in July 2008.

Health Centres

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been issued to primary care trusts on the location of GP-led health centres within their catchment area.

Ben Bradshaw: Primary care trusts (PCTs) have been asked to follow a small number of core criteria for the general practitioner (GP)-led health centres, one of which is ensuring the new services are in an easily accessible location. It is, ultimately, for PCTs to identify the best location for these new services following consultation with patients, GPs and others to reflect local needs and preferences.

Health Centres

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether representatives of his Department are holding regular meetings with representatives of  (a) primary care trusts and  (b) strategic health authorities on the implementation of his Departments plans for a new GP-led health centre in each primary care trust area.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department is supporting primary care trusts and strategic health authorities (SHAs) with a series of regional workshops which focus on the different stages of procurement. There are a number of programme based meetings within SHAs remit which Departmental officials are able to attend.

Health Services: Cannabis

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to put in place for a large-scale public health campaign on cannabis use.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department continues, through campaigns such as Frank, to make the public aware of the health harms associated with cannabis use.
	In July 2007, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) were asked by the Home Secretary to reassess the medical and social scientific basis of the classification of cannabis in the light of real public concern about the potential mental health effects of cannabis use.
	The ACMD report, Cannabis: Classification and Public Health (2008), was published in May 2008 and made a number of recommendations, including recommendations on public awareness, and we will update and refresh our messages on cannabis in light of these recommendations.
	Currently public health messaging is dealt with separately by the four devolved Administrations. However, through the four United Kingdom chief medical officers, we will explore how we can harmonise the cannabis public health message and share best practice and lessons learned around the UK.
	Additionally, we will shortly be publishing an expert report on the health risks associated with the use of both cannabis and tobacco, which will also feed into the updating of our messages on the harms caused by cannabis.

Hospital Beds

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many inpatient beds there are in each NHS hospital in England; and how many outpatients were seen in each hospital in each of the last three years.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Hospitals: Greater London

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated by  (a) Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Greenwich,  (b) Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup,  (c) Princess Louise Hospital, Bromley and  (d) University College Hospital, Lewisham in (i) 1997 and (ii) the last year for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: Information is not available in the format requested. Data are not collected at individual hospital level but by national health service trust. The trusts that manage the specified hospitals are, respectively, Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust, Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust, Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust and The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust. We have assumed that my hon. Friend means the Princess Royal University Hospital, which is part of Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust, rather than Princess Louise Hospital, which is in Kensington, and the University Hospital, Lewisham, rather than the University College Hospital.
	In addition, we are unable to identify the number of patients treated. The following table therefore provides data for finished admission episodes (FAEs) for these trusts. A FAE is a period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients as a person may have more than one admission within the year. The latest available data are for 2006-07.
	
		
			  Total admissions to hospital for 2006-07 and 1997-98, for Queen Elizabeth  Hospital  NHS  Trust , Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS  Trust , Bromley  Hospitals  NHS  Trust  and The Lewisham  Hospital  NHS  Trust 
			  Total FAEs 
			  Trust name  1997-98  2006-07 
			 Queen Elizabeth hospital NHS trust 36,279 60,382 
			 Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS trust 39,417 39,211 
			 Bromley hospitals NHS trust 49,395 (1)60,700 
			 The Lewisham hospital NHS trust 34,824 54,613 
			 (1 )For 2006-07, the figure for Bromley hospitals NHS Trust includes data for the Orpington Treatment Centre.   Notes:  1. A FAE is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.  2. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  3. HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. During the years that these records have been collected by the NHS, there have been ongoing improvements in quality and coverage. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example a number of procedures may now be undertaken in out-patient settings and may no longer be accounted in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.  4. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).   Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics, the Information Centre for health and social care.

Intensive Care

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) intensive care and  (b) high dependency unit beds were available for (i) children and (ii) adults within primary care trusts in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The data is not available in the format requested as the data is collected from NHS providers and not on a commissioner basis. The data from the bi-annual adult critical care provision census (KH03A), which began in March 1999, does not collect data broken down by adult or children. The data from each census has been placed in the Library.

Intensive Care: Greater London

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of occasions in each London primary care trust when a patient could not be accommodated in a  (a) intensive care and  (b) high dependency unit because of the lack of an available bed in each year since 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: Information about the number of occasions when patients could not be accommodated in intensive care or high dependency units because of a lack of available beds is not collected centrally. It is for local national health service organisations to assess the number of critical care beds needed to meet the demands of their population. The hon. Member may therefore wish to raise this issue locally.
	The latest available information shows that in January 2008, there were 3,473 critical care beds in England. This is 114 (3.2 per cent.) more than in January 2007 and 1,111 (47 per cent.) more than in January 2000, when there were 2,362 beds.

Interpreters

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on interpreters in the last 12 months; and on which languages.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department does not collect information on the costs for language interpreters. The requirement for language interpreters is at a local level. In some locations where there are sizeable black and minority ethic communities, spending by national health service organisations on language interpreters will be significant.
	NHS organisations are not required to report their planned or actual spending on interpretation and translation services to the Department. As a result, there is no information on overall NHS spending on this service.
	When planning interpretation and translation services, NHS organisations should take due account of their legal duties, the composition of the communities they serve, and the needs and circumstances of their patients, service users and local populations.

Medical Examinations

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government has taken to widen accessibility of health advice and check-ups for NHS patients.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 28 April 2008
	The Government are committed to improving services, care and advice to national health service patients. As part of that, the general medical services contract requires general practitioner (GP) practices to: invite all newly registered patients for a consultation within six months of registration; provide, on request, a consultation to all patients aged 75 or over who have not had a consultation within the last 12 months and provide, on request, a consultation for patients aged 16 to 74 who have not had a consultation within the last three years.
	The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) rewards practices for inviting patients with long-term conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma and mental illness to regular check-ups and for providing advice on health and treatment. QOF also rewards practices for recording blood pressure and smoking status and for treating high blood pressure and supporting patients to quit smoking.
	The Government are committed to implementing regular health checks for learning disabled patients and has developed and published a framework to support primary care trusts in commissioning primary care services for people with learning disabilities, including annual health checks.
	The NHS LifeChecks programme is currently developing LifeChecks for teenagers, early years and mid-life. Using a straightforward questionnaire approach, the NHS LifeChecks will help users assess their current lifestyle behaviour, provide information on what to change, how to change and assist them in setting behaviour change goals. The NHS LifeChecks will provide information about local services and a way of sharing the results of the questionnaire with health professionals. NHS LifeChecks will be delivered via the NHS Choices website, the public digital information service for the Department and the NHS.
	NHS Choices can be found at:
	www.nhs.uk
	and was launched last year as a digital health information service to provide the public with accessible information about treatments, conditions and well-being. The website includes a complete guide to NHS services together with comparative data about hospital performance. Directories of services including GPs, dentists and hospitals are searchable by postcode to help the public identify appropriate local providers. The service also provides advice on major health topics such as obesity and giving up smoking.
	Users can now register with NHS Choices to receive regular health information and advice on topics of their choice.
	NHS Direct provides accessible 24/7 telephone, online and digital services providing the public with advice/information about health, health services and self-care.
	NHS Connecting for Health is delivering a single electronic health record for life which will improve accessibility to appropriate care, particularly for some hard-to-reach groups. It will also improve the ability to deliver large-scale screening programmes. As part of this service, HealthSpace will provide online secure access for patients to their summary care record. Academic research has also been commissioned into health literacy to better understand what needs to be done to help patients understand their record and access appropriate advice.
	NHS Connecting for Health is also supporting the development of telecare and telehealth services, which provide personalised advice and support to patients, and through collaboration with industry and other providers is driving standards for interoperability that will enable greater choice, and support services tailored to a diverse range of personal needs.

Medical Treatments: Finance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to allow hospitals to invoice GPs in respect of their patients who receive primary care advice from the hospital trust.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 9 May 2008
	We have no current plans to do so.

Medical Treatments: Information Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to ensure that patients have timely access to all information that they need to make informed decisions about their treatment.

Ben Bradshaw: The NHS Choices website (www.nhs.uk), launched in June 2007, is the Departments and national health services public facing online service. The service already receives over 2 million visits per month and provides convenient, timely access for patients to information on treatment decisions.
	NHS Choices is for, the first time and in one place, bringing together and making easily accessible to patients comparative information on NHS and independent hospitals. Through its Your Thoughts facility, it is giving patients the opportunity to comment on treatment receivedand providers the opportunity to respond. In addition, the website enables patients to have access to the same high quality evidence as doctors about which treatments are most effective.

NHS: ICT

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will visit Worthing hospital to discuss the CERNER IT system with clinicians;
	(2)  whether the ministerial letter of 1 May 2008 to the hon. Member for Wyre Forest, reference MS (H) 103135, included comment on contribution by the clinical lead for IT, Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust;
	(3)  with reference to the ministerial letter of 1 May 2008 to the hon. Member for Wyre Forest, reference MS (H) 103135, if he will name the clinicians in Worthing who hold in high esteem the clinical functionality of the CERNER Millennium software;
	(4)  at which sites in the UK the CERNER Millennium software has been successfully installed.

Ben Bradshaw: We are aware of the concerns expressed by clinicians at Worthing and Southlands NHS Trust about the Cerner IT system that has been installed at that trust. I have arranged for the Department's Director of Informatics and Interim Director of Programme and Systems Delivery to visit Worthing hospital at the earliest opportunity to address with clinicians locally the concerns that have been raised by the hon. Member. I will also write to him shortly to explain the plans that are in place to further develop and improve the Cerner Millennium product, its functionality, and its ease of use.

NHS: Nutrition

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to incorporate information on patients nutritional status in summary care records.

Ben Bradshaw: Initially, a patients summary care record (SCR) will only contain details of their current medications, and any allergies or adverse reactions to medications. It is envisaged that it will then be built over time, with the patients express permission, to include any other relevant health information.
	This approach to adding information to the SCR will be among issues to be reviewed by the summary care record advisory group in light of the recently published independent evaluation of the SCR early adopters programme in order to inform the future roll-out of the SCR.

NHS: Reorganisation

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who the members are of each clinical working group for the NHS Next Stage review in the South Central NHS Region; and what clinical appointment each member holds.

Ivan Lewis: Each strategic health authority (SHA) is responsible for their eight local clinical pathway groups. Lists of members and their clinical roles should be sought directly from South Central SHA.

Nutrition: Health Services

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were referred to weight management programmes in each strategic health authority in each of the last three years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available centrally.

Obesity: Surgery

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average wait for gastric bypass surgery was in each hospital trust in the last period for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
	The table quotes both median and mean figures. Median figures are a better proxy to the time waited by the majority of people as mean may be artificially increased by a small number of long wait.

Perinatal Mortality

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many occurrences of  (a) stillbirth,  (b) perinatal mortality and  (c) neonatal mortality there were in each NHS trust in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Phil Hope: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 19 May 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many occurrences of (a) stillbirth, (b) perinatal mortality and (c) neonatal mortality there were in each NHS Trust in the last financial year for which figures are available. (205201)
	Figures by NHS Trust and financial year are not readily available and can only be produced at a disproportionate cost.
	The number of (a) stillbirths, (b) perinatal deaths and (c) neonatal deaths registered in 2006 (the most recent year for which figures are available) by Primary Care Trust are given in the attached table.
	
		
			  Number of stillbirths, perinatal and neonatal deaths by PCT in England, 2006 
			  PCT  Number of still births  Number of perinatal deaths( 1)  Number of neonatal deaths( 2) 
			 England 3,418 5,107 2,238 
			 
			  North East SHA
			 County Durham 29 47 25 
			 Darlington 8 15 9 
			 Gateshead 7 15 11 
			 Hartlepool 7 10 8 
			 Middlesbrough 8 13 6 
			 Newcastle 18 22 6 
			 North Tees 14 24 13 
			 North Tyneside 7 9 5 
			 Northumberland 15 19 4 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 10 17 9 
			 South Tyneside 13 18 6 
			 Sunderland Teaching 20 26 9 
			 
			  North West SHA
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan 20 34 19 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 12 16 7 
			 Blackpool 10 19 14 
			 Bolton 28 40 17 
			 Bury 11 19 9 
			 Central and Eastern Cheshire 23 34 12 
			 Central Lancashire 30 49 24 
			 Cumbria 15 24 11 
			 East Lancashire 29 37 13 
			 Halton and St. Helens 29 44 22 
			 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale 10 20 11 
			 Knowsley 8 11 3 
			 Liverpool 31 47 21 
			 Manchester 38 56 22 
			 North Lancashire 17 27 10 
			 Oldham 21 33 18 
			 Salford 17 24 9 
			 Sefton 15 24 11 
			 Stockport 18 23 7 
			 Tameside and Glossop 21 31 14 
			 Trafford 11 21 13 
			 Warrington 10 15 8 
			 Western Cheshire 12 25 15 
			 Wirral 20 30 12 
			 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber SHA
			 Barnsley 14 21 7 
			 Bradford and Airedale 54 87 42 
			 Calderdale 19 25 9 
			 Doncaster 15 29 21 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 17 22 6 
			 Hull 19 35 18 
			 Kirklees 30 49 26 
			 Leeds 55 84 39 
			 North East Lincolnshire 9 16 9 
			 North Lincolnshire 7 9 4 
			 North Yorkshire and York 34 54 24 
			 Rotherham 22 27 9 
			 Sheffield 29 49 27 
			 Wakefield District 19 29 13 
			 
			  East Midlands SHA
			 Bassetlaw 10 14 5 
			 Derby City 19 25 6 
			 Derbyshire County 35 48 24 
			 Leicester City 43 63 28 
			 Leicestershire County and Rutland 39 60 29 
			 Lincolnshire 32 50 27 
			 Northamptonshire 51 77 34 
			 Nottingham City 20 33 22 
			 Nottinghamshire County Teaching 38 57 26 
			 
			  West Midlands SHA
			 Birmingham East and North 50 83 40 
			 Coventry Teaching 21 29 14 
			 Dudley 21 33 18 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching 34 65 40 
			 Herefordshire 11 14 5 
			 North Staffordshire 11 13 2 
			 Sandwell 26 51 31 
			 Shropshire County 13 20 10 
			 Solihull 10 15 6 
			 South Birmingham 25 49 28 
			 South Staffordshire 36 61 32 
			 Stoke on Trent 20 37 19 
			 Telford and Wrekin 10 16 8 
			 Walsall Teaching 12 24 14 
			 Warwickshire 27 39 15 
			 Wolverhampton City 21 35 16 
			 Worcestershire 31 39 13 
			 
			  East of England SHA
			 Bedfordshire 25 31 8 
			 Cambridgeshire 24 38 18 
			 East and North Hertfordshire 27 40 17 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney 10 14 5 
			 Luton 29 41 13 
			 Mid Essex 10 18 11 
			 Norfolk 34 60 33 
			 North East Essex 21 30 12 
			 Peterborough 18 26 10 
			 South East Essex 12 23 14 
			 South West Essex 35 48 19 
			 Suffolk 24 33 13 
			 West Essex 10 14 6 
			 West Hertfordshire 28 37 12 
			 
			  London SHA
			 Barking and Dagenham 23 27 7 
			 Barnet 24 35 11 
			 Bexley 24 29 9 
			 Brent Teaching 33 50 22 
			 Bromley 20 26 7 
			 Camden 17 22 5 
			 City and Hackney Teaching 25 35 14 
			 Croydon 34 53 22 
			 Ealing 41 50 14 
			 Enfield 32 50 24 
			 Greenwich Teaching 31 43 16 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 8 16 11 
			 Haringey Teaching 27 40 19 
			 Harrow 22 28 8 
			 Havering 16 24 9 
			 Hillingdon 21 23 6 
			 Hounslow 27 34 8 
			 Islington 21 32 11 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 14 15 2 
			 Kingston 9 11 4 
			 Lambeth 29 48 23 
			 Lewisham 24 37 16 
			 Newham 35 49 27 
			 Redbridge 28 42 16 
			 Richmond and Twickenham 17 19 3 
			 Southwark 37 58 26 
			 Sutton and Merton 32 51 22 
			 Tower Hamlets 25 32 11 
			 Waltham Forest 31 46 19 
			 Wandsworth 21 29 13 
			 Westminster 14 20 11 
			 
			  South East Coast SHA
			 Brighton and Hove City 16 24 14 
			 East Sussex Downs and Weald 11 19 11 
			 Eastern and Coastal Kent 42 57 20 
			 Hastings and Rother 9 14 6 
			 Medway 20 26 10 
			 Surrey 60 87 32 
			 West Kent 41 53 17 
			 West Sussex 31 46 23 
			 
			  South Central SHA
			 Berkshire East 29 45 18 
			 Berkshire West 38 56 18 
			 Buckinghamshire 27 41 17 
			 Hampshire 64 90 30 
			 Isle of Wight NHS 8 9 2 
			 Milton Keynes 17 33 19 
			 Oxfordshire 36 49 19 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching 11 15 5 
			 Southampton City 19 28 10 
			 
			  South West SHA
			 Bath and North East Somerset  7 7 
			 Bournemouth and Poole 15 21 10 
			 Bristol 29 42 17 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 25 36 17 
			 Devon 37 54 21 
			 Dorset 11 20 13 
			 Gloucestershire 32 46 20 
			 North Somerset 10 14 5 
			 Plymouth Teaching 14 18 8 
			 Somerset 26 40 16 
			 South Gloucestershire 13 18 7 
			 Swindon 9 13 1 
			 Torbay  9 3 
			 Wiltshire 20 26 10 
			  Stillbirths based on fewer than five cases have been suppressed. It has also been necessary to apply a secondary suppression to avoid the possibility of disclosure by differencing. (1) Stillbirths plus deaths occurring in the first week of life. (2) Deaths under 28 days.

Plastic Bags

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many branded plastic bags his Department has purchased in the last 24 months for which figures are available; and at what cost;

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many branded plastic bags his Department and its agencies purchased in the last 24 months; and at what cost.

Ben Bradshaw: Any branded plastic bags are procured by individual teams within the Department and we do not hold central records on which items were procured and at what cost. To provide this information would therefore incur disproportionate cost.
	The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) purchased 1,000 white plastic bags printed with the MHRA logo on 28 January 2008 at a cost of £290.00 VAT inclusive.

Preventive Medicine

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps the Government has taken to reduce the number of deaths from preventable illnesses.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 19 February 2008,  Official Report, column 674W. An example of what we are doing in relation to alcohol harm is the units campaign launched today.

Strokes: Health Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps the Government have taken to improve aftercare services for those who have had strokes.

Ann Keen: The new National Stroke Strategy, published in December 2007, sets out 20 quality markers for the provision of high quality treatment and care for adult stroke survivors. Of those quality markers, seven link directly to the kind of support and services which those who have had a stroke and their carers need in the community, including high quality rehabilitation, information, advice, practical and peer support throughout the care pathway, in line with individual need.
	In addition to the funding that has gone to primary care trusts, £105 million of central funding over three years will support implementation, including £45 million to local authorities to help themworking with their national health service partnersdevelop or accelerate their existing provision of long-term support to those who live with the effects of a stroke.

Surgery

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent action the Government have taken to improve aftercare services for post-operative patients.

Ben Bradshaw: As part of the 18-week programme, the Department, working together with the national health service, has developed 40 high-level, symptom based commissioning pathways which describe good practice from presentation of patients' symptoms to their discharge into review, rehabilitation and self-care. The Department has also published a good practice guide on maximum impact: shorter pathways, which includes good practice on all stages of pathway including post operative care. These are available from
	www.18weeks.nhs.uk
	In addition, the no delays achiever and suite of supporting products, provides NHS organisations with practical advice on gives how to improve services at all stages of the pathway. This is available from
	www.institute.nhs.uk
	Work has started with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to improve the rehabilitation of patients following periods of critical care. This will focus on the physiological and psychological welfare of patients and is aimed at improving outcomes, their quality of life, and reducing readmissions to hospital.

Toxocariasis

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reported cases of toxocariasis in humans there were in the last three years.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of toxocariasis cases reported in the last three years in England and Wales is as follows:
	
		
			   Number of cases 
			 2007 1 
			 2006 1 
			 2005 5

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work Programme: Finance

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the budget of access to work will be in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11.

Stephen Timms: Forecast expenditure plans are presented in the following table.
	
		
			  Access to work programme budget 
			  £ million 
			 2008-09 69 
			 2009-10 71 
			 2010-11 73 
		
	
	Figures provided, particularly for 2009-10 and 2010-11 are indicative allocations based on current assumptions and are subject to change.

Children: Maintenance

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is planning to take account of the costs of both parents in looking after their children in the child maintenance system.

James Plaskitt: Maintenance calculations under the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (C-MEC) will reflect the principles introduced with the simpler formula in 2003, that is, a structure of percentage rates based on the non-resident parent's income and number of qualifying children. The percentage rates strike the right balance between the needs of the child and the other expenses that non-resident parents have to meet.
	A reduction in the amount of child maintenance otherwise payable will continue to apply where the non-resident parent shares the care of a qualifying child for 52 or more nights a year.

Children: Maintenance

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what account the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission will take of the savings and capital of non-resident parents  (a) before and  (b) after an application for maintenance is made by the resident parent.

James Plaskitt: Savings and capital can be taken into account only once maintenance has been applied for. A parent with care can apply for a variation to the standard maintenance calculation where the non-resident parent has significant assets, investments and other forms of capital, which amount to more than £65,000.
	However, a variation will be allowed only where it is just and equitable to do so. Broadly this means that the result of the variation must be fair taking account of all the circumstances of the case, and, in particular, the welfare of any child likely to be affected. This includes the child for whom maintenance is paid as well as any other children living with either parent.

Departmental Information and Communications Technology

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2008,  Official Report, column 179W, on departmental ICT, how many of the missing or stolen  (a) laptops,  (b) mobile telephones and  (c) personal digital assistants have been replaced by his Department; and at what cost.

Anne McGuire: The information is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Manpower

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many customer-facing staff were employed by his Department in each year between 2004 and 2007; and how many such staff will be employed in  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009.

Anne McGuire: The following table shows the number of staff employed in the Department's front line delivery businesses at 31 March for each year from 2004 to 2008. It is not possible to differentiate between those who deal directly with the public and those who perform other supporting functions. The figures are provided as full time equivalents.
	
		
			  Business Unit  March 2004  March 2005  March 2006  March 2007  March 2008 
			 Jobcentre Plus 82,828 74,475 71,222 67,946 66,378 
			 Pensions 19,996 16,419 13,846 12,707 10,727 
			 Child Support Agency 10,929 9,985 11,034 11,224 9,483 
			 Disability and Carers Service 7,265 6,614 6,398 5,988 5,529 
			 Total Customer Facing Staff in DWP 121,018 107,493 102,500 97,865 92,118 
		
	
	For 2008-09, details of the numbers of staff employed in the Department's front line delivery businesses is not available at present.
	The Department's three year plan provides an indicative range of headcount reductions for the current Spending Review period and detailed business and regional plans for the period ending 31 March 2009 are currently being developed.
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2008/3yrplan/

Employment Services: Learning Disability

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to increase awareness of the services of disability employment advisers among people with a learning disability.

Anne McGuire: We recently carried out a major review of WORKSTEP, Access to Work, Work Preparation, the Job Introduction Scheme and the Disability Employment Advisor role. We listened to the views of many disabled people, employers, external delivery partners and Jobcentre Plus staff, as well as taking into account the recommendations from the National Audit Office and the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit report Improving Life Chances of Disabled People. The public consultation, which closed on 10 March, set out proposals to improve these services to help more disabled people. We will publish a response to the consultation during the summer.
	In the meantime, we will continue to take steps to raise awareness of the services that can be provided by Disability Employment Advisers. As well as the normal methods of publicity, for example leaflets and the Jobcentre Plus and Directgov websites, Disability Employment Advisers work hard to engage with customer representative organisations and other partners in the community. This is particularly important in increasing access to services for people with learning difficulties. In Edinburgh, for example, the Disability Employment Advisers work closely with organisations that support customers with learning disabilities.
	Jobcentre Plus is often invited to contribute to literature produced by various disability organisations including for example RADAR'S Doing Work Differently, which includes information on Disability Employment Advisers and the specialised support available to disabled people. Jobcentre Plus also contributes articles to publications such as My Future Choices, the magazine of the Transition Information Network, outlining support available and how to get it. Where appropriate, Jobcentre Plus will continue these activities.

Employment Services: Learning Disability

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people with a learning disability Jobcentre Plus assisted in gaining employment in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: The information is not available.

Employment Services: Learning Disability

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department plans to take to improve the training available to people with a learning disability who are applying for jobs with the support of Jobcentre Plus.

Anne McGuire: A lack of skills and the need for training is only one of a number of barriers faced by people with a learning disability who want to take up paid work.
	We recognise the importance of working more closely and strategically with our key suppliers in order to help us improve delivery of services to customers, including where programmes provide training to support people with learning disabilities into jobs. Areas for improvement in training will also be driven through our management of contracts as well as Ofsted inspection and audit.
	Jobcentre Plus offers a range of support to help people move into work. Workstep is designed to support disabled people who have more complex barriers to work, including those with a learning disability. Providers will provide training which is appropriate to enable the disabled employee to do their job. Around one third of Workstep participants have a learning disability. Others are helped by the Access to Work programme through which they can receive a grant to fund a support worker.
	We are working jointly with other Departments to improve work opportunities for people with a learning disability. The Getting A Life project is specifically aimed at getting the employment, education and local authority day services functions for people with a learning disability to work together in an integrated manner. The main focus is on people going through transition to adulthood.
	The project is being steered and funded by the Departments for Work and Pensions; Health; Innovation, Universities and Skills; and Children, Schools and Families; with the support of the Social Exclusion Task Force, Valuing People, and the Office for Disability Issues. Demonstration projects are being run in seven sites over a three year period from April 2008.
	In addition, the Government's Public Service Agreement for socially excluded adults is aimed in part, at increasing the number of adults with learning disabilities in employment. To help us achieve this, we are working with local government through the new Local Area Agreements and we are also working with a number of departments to consider what more central Government can do to help this group of people into work.

Health and Safety Executive: Weber Shandwick Public Affairs

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what payments the Health and Safety Executive made to  (a) Weber Shandwick Public Affairs and  (b) Mandate Communications and AS Biss in each of the last five years; and on what date and for what purpose the payment was made in each case.

Anne McGuire: In 2008, the Health and Safety Executive paid a total of £25,850 to Weber Shandwick Worldwide for public affairs and stakeholder support in Scotland.
	The Health and Safety Executive has contracted AS Biss (now Mandate Communications) to provide public affairs and stakeholder support and advice since 2004. The total payments for each calendar year are given in the following table.
	
		
			   Total payments 
			 2004 87,878.31 
			 2005 182,082.50 
			 2006 125,644.61 
			 2007 116,077.29 
			 2008 19,086.27

Income

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in the UK with an income of  (a) £100,000 or more and  (b) £12,000 or less gross per annum in (i) 2002 and (ii) 2007.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 1 May 2008
	The available information is shown in the following tables. Individual gross income has been used.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of UK taxpayers (million) with gross annual incomes of £100,000 or more 
			 2002-03 0.3 
			 2007-08 0.6 
			  Source:  Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI) 2002-03 and 2005-06, HMRC 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of people (million) in the UK with gross annual incomes of £12,000 or less in 2002-03 and 2005-06 
			 2002-03 23.4 
			 2005-06 21.4 
			  Notes:  1. Figures in the tables compare reported gross annual incomes, except for the estimate for 2007-08 in Table 1 which is based on projected incomes from the 2005-06 SPI.  2. The figures in Table 2 for 2005-06 are the latest available data.  3. SPI data are published by HMRC and FRS data are published by DWP. It has been assessed that the SPI is the most reliable data source for annual incomes of over £100,000, while the FRS is the best source for incomes below £12,000.  4. The information shown is for the UK. The SPI figure in Table 1 is given for all UK taxpayers regardless of place of residence, not just those in the UK.  5. Figures are given in millions rounded to the nearest 100,000 persons.  6. The FRS estimates are sample counts, which have been adjusted for non-response using multipurpose grossing factors that, in the case of the FRS, control for tenure, Council Tax band and a number of other variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error and to variability in non-response. The income measure used is annual gross individual income.  7. The SPI is a sample survey of information held by HMRC tax offices on persons who could be liable to UK tax. It is carried out annually and covers the income assessable for tax in each tax year. As with all sample surveys, estimates from the SPI have a sampling error attached to them.   Source:  Family Resources Survey (FRS)2002-03 and 2005-06, DWP.

Jobcentre Plus: North West

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people in the North West used the out of hours evening service operated by Jobcentre Plus in the last three years;
	(2)  what representations he has received on the decision by Jobcentre Plus North West to discontinue its out of hours evening service; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide my hon. Friend with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 19 May 2008:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking how many people in the North West used the out of hours evening service in the last three years and what representations he has received on the decision by North West to discontinue its out of hours evening service. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Between April 2006 and March 2008 the North West region received 5743 week day evening calls and 2522 resulted in a home visit, the majority of visits resulting in a payment. We do not have complete figures for April 2005 to March 2006.
	As a result of the enhanced service now offered by The Pension Service in terms of its opening hours and the vastly improved access to Crisis Loans, a national internal review of the out of hours service was undertaken. We have decided that the service should in future operate to provide emergency cash payments only on days when no normal service is available (weekends and public holidays in the main).
	Under the current arrangements, approximately 15% of the weekly referrals are received between Monday and Thursday resulting in only around 40 visits nationally, compared to 10,000 crisis loan applications we receive per day. Delivering an out of hours service on weekday evenings to such small numbers of customers is not cost effective.
	Local customer stakeholders were informed in each of the regions in advance of the new arrangements and two representations have been made from organisations in the North West. Local managers have made arrangements with these organisations to discuss the new processes.

Location

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many posts his Department were relocated from London and the South East in each year between 2004 and 2007; how many it plans to relocate in  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009; and what financial savings as a result of such relocations were made by his Department in each year since 2004, broken down by budgetary heading.

Anne McGuire: The following table shows the number of posts relocated from London and the South East.
	
		
			  Period  Number of posts relocated away from London and the South East 
			 2003(1) 1,954 
			 2004 364 
			 2005 858 
			 2006 757 
			 2007 76 
			 Forecast for 2008 57 
			 Forecast for 2009 0 
			 (1) HM Treasury agreed a baseline date of 1 June 2003 for the Departments Lyons Public Sector Relocation programme. This was to reflect early progress of relocating 1,954 posts away from London and the South East between the Department submitting its relocation proposals to the Lyons Review and December 2003. 
		
	
	The target date set by the Lyons Review for completing the relocations was March 2010 but the Department agreed to meet the target by March 2008 as part of the 2004 Spending Review. The target was in fact met by December 2007.
	The Lyons Review did not require Departments to report costs or savings of relocating posts and consequently that information has not been centrally maintained.

Lost Working Days

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many working days were lost due to work-related ill health and injury per worker in each year since 2004; and what progress has been made towards meeting his Departments Public Service Agreement target 5.

Anne McGuire: The following table sets out the published statistics for the years 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07. The provisional figures for 2007-08 will be published in autumn 2008.
	
		
			  Estimated average days lost per worker due to work-related illness and workplace injury 
			   Days lost per worker 
			95 per cent. C.I. 
			   Central  Lower  Upper 
			 2004-05 1.53 1.41 1.66 
			 2005-06 1.31 1.2 1.43 
			 2006-07 1.55 1.42 1.68 
			  Note: 95 per cent. C.I.: 95 per cent. confidence interval, the range within which we are 95 per cent. confident that the true value lies in the absence of bias. 
		
	
	The PSA target 5 is to
	By 2008, improve health and safety outcomes in Great Britain through progressive improvement in the control of risk in the workplace.
	The PSA target is measured against six sub-targets, including one for working days losta 9 per cent. reduction in the 2004-05 baseline. The Health and Safety Executive publishes a statistics progress report annually. The latest report for the period 2006-07 indicates that for working days lost, HSE is not on track to meet the PSA target.

Occupational Health

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people made unwell by their work conditions in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: From the latest available data for 2006-07, an estimated 646,000 people in Great Britain developed ill health they believed was caused or made worse by their work. This estimate is based on responses to questions in the labour force survey. The results have an associated 95 per cent. confidence interval and could thus be between from 627,000 to 697,000. The figures for 2007-08 will be published in the autumn.

Occupational Pensions

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of members of defined-benefit occupational pension schemes in each year since 1997.

Mike O'Brien: The Government are committed to supporting existing high quality occupational pension provision. That is why we commissioned a rolling deregulatory review to look at how the private pensions regulatory framework can be made simpler and less burdensome. The decline in membership of defined benefit schemes is a long-term trend and is due to a number of complex factors.
	Information on membership of defined benefit occupational pension schemes is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is presented in the following table:
	
		
			  Estimates of the numbers of active members of defined benefit occupational pension schemes, by year 
			   Active members of defined benefit occupational pension schemes (million) 
			 1991 9.7 
			 1995 9.2 
			 2000 9.0 
			 2004 8.6 
			 2006 8.5 
			  Notes:  1. Pension scheme membership figures were taken from the Occupational Pension Scheme Survey. Data for years 1991, 1995, 2000 and 2004 were produced by the Government Actuary's Department (GAD). Data for 2006 were produced by the Office for National Statistics. 2006 is the latest year published. The coverage of the survey is the UK.  2. Figures presented are totals for private and public sector defined benefit occupational pension scheme membership.  3. Active members are current employees who would normally contribute (or have contributions made on their behalf) to the pension scheme.  4. To be eligible for membership of an occupational pension scheme, including defined benefit schemes, a person must be an employee working for an employer offering such a scheme.

Pathways to Work: Greater London

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what provision the Pathways to Work programme will make for cognitive behavioural therapy in North East London in 2008-09.

Stephen Timms: Pathways to Work in North and North East London is delivered by Reed in Partnership on behalf of the Department. Reed delivers cognitive behavioural therapy as part of the Condition Management Programme, which is a standard element of the Pathways to Work service, offered to people who need help in better their health condition or disability in order to return to work or retain their job. Reed and their subcontractors adapt the programme to meet customers individual needs, as part of which cognitive behavioural therapy can include a personalised programme of interventions; one-to-one coaching with guided self-help offered where needed; weekly facilitated experiential group support; assertiveness and self-esteem modules and computer-based training.
	More severe mental health issues will be referred to a team of cognitive behavioural therapy psycho-therapists.

Pension Credit: Lancashire

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people in West Lancashire constituency receive pension credit;
	(2)  how many pensioners in West Lancashire constituency received assistance under the minimum income guarantee in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: In West Lancashire constituency 4,890 households were in receipt of pension credit. Of this 1,280 households were in receipt of the guarantee credit only, 2,520 households were in receipt of both the guarantee credit and savings credit, and 1,090 on the savings credit only.
	 Notes:
	1. The figures provided are early estimates. The preferred data source for figures supplied by DWP is the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS). However, the figure provided is the latest available figure, which is taken from the GMS scan at 31 August 2007. These are adjusted using the historical relationship between WPLS and GMS data to give an estimate of the final WPLS figure.
	2. The minimum income guarantee was replaced by the pension credit guarantee credit in 2003.
	3. Case loads are rounded to the nearest 10.
	4. Households are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household.

Social Security Benefits: Earnings Rules

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will give consideration to increasing the permitted earnings disregard; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: Since 2002 the higher permitted work limit in incapacity benefit of £88.50 has been increased each October in line with the national minimum wage. The £20 lower permitted work limit has remained unchanged since it was introduced in 2002.
	From October 2008, when employment and support allowance is introduced the higher permitted earnings level will be extended to income-related beneficiaries as well as those entitled to contributory benefit. The rate will be the same as for incapacity benefit.

Winter Fuel Payments: Eltham

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in Eltham received the winter fuel payment in 2007-08; and how many he estimates will receive the extra £50 in 2008-09.

James Plaskitt: Figures for winter 2007-08 are not yet available. In winter 2006-07 we made winter fuel payments to 11,080 households in the Eltham constituency of which 2,920 went to households with someone aged 80 or over. We expect the numbers for winter 2007-08 to be similar. We also expect that similar numbers will receive the additional payment of £50 to households with someone aged 60 to 79 and 100 to households with someone aged 80 or over in winter 2008-09.
	 Notes:
	1. Figures rounded to the nearest 10.
	2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	 Source:
	Information directorate 100 per cent. data.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Social Inclusion: Teacher Training

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to ensure that the special educational needs content of teacher training courses prepares teachers to deal with social inclusion matters.

Kevin Brennan: Initial teacher training is designed to enable trainees to meet the professional standards for qualified teacher status (QTS). Those acquiring QTS must be able to use a range of teaching strategies and resources, take account of diversity and promote equality and inclusion. The Training and Development Agency for Schools is developing a range of units for training providers to help trainees meet the standards for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Childrens Centres

Celia Barlow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress has been made towards meeting the target of providing 3,500 children's centres by 2010.

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress has been made towards meeting the target of providing 3,500 children's centres by 2010.

Beverley Hughes: I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for South Swindon (Anne Snelgrove).

Free Nursery Places: Copeland

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in Copeland constituency receive free nursery places.

Beverley Hughes: All three and four-year-olds are entitled to receive 12.5 hours of free provision for 38 weeks of the year, rising to 15 hours by 2010. 96 per cent. of all three-year-olds nationally, and nearly all four-year-olds access some free provision.
	The latest data we have, for 2007, show that in Copeland 660 three-year-olds and 690 four-year-olds receive free part-time nursery places, across the maintained and private, voluntary and independent sectors.

Bullying

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to tackle the bullying of school children with special needs.

Kevin Brennan: This week we are launching tailored guidance which provides schools with comprehensive advice on how to prevent and tackle the bullying of children with SEN and disabilities. Heads and governors have statutory duties to prevent the bullying of these children which are outlined in the guidance. The anti-bullying alliance and national strategies will provide support and challenge for local authorities and schools to ensure the guidance is effectively implemented on the ground.

Apprenticeships

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps are taken in schools to encourage pupils to take up apprenticeships upon leaving.

Jim Knight: World-class Apprenticeships sets out how we will strengthen and expand apprenticeships so that by 2013 every suitably qualified young person who wants an apprenticeship will be able to access one. The Education and Skills Bill before the House requires schools to provide impartial careers education. Information about apprenticeships is included in 14-19 area prospectuses. We are also building a new apprenticeship national matching service that will provide on-line access to apprenticeship vacancies.

Testing

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of school tests for measuring the performance of pupils and schools.

Jim Knight: The rigorous test development process undertaken by the National Assessment Agency, and regulation, now by Ofqual, ensure that national curriculum tests are fit for purpose. Those tests provide reliable, objective information about the attainment of every pupil in the core subjects of the national curriculum and about the performance of every school in equipping pupils with the skills they need for life. Test results help us to improve performance throughout the education system.

GCSEs

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to enable 30 per cent. of pupils in all schools to achieve at least five good GCSEs including English and mathematics.

Edward Balls: We will invest £200 million over the next three years to ensure that by 2011 at least 30 per cent. of pupils in every secondary school will achieve at least five good GCSEs including English and mathematics or the school will be subject to formal intervention. We announced this investment in the Budget, and in June we will publish our strategy to achieve this ambition.

Building Schools for the Future

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress has been made in the Building Schools for the Future programme; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Building Schools for the Future continues to make good progress, with 13 schools now open, and a further 35 expected to open by April 2009. 17 local authorities have reached financial close, covering over 200 schools and £3.9 billion capital investment. Beyond 2010-11, we expect that around 200 new or remodelled schools will open each year. 72 local authorities are currently in waves 1-6 of the programme, with almost 1,000 secondary schools currently developing plans for modernisation.

Term-time Pupil Absence

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his Department's policy is on pupils being taken out of school during term-time for holidays.

Kevin Brennan: Our policy is to discourage all avoidable absence, including term-time holidays, because of the increased risk of underachievement or harm to children. We trust head teachers to judge whether any given absence is justified, such as a family crisis or when a parent's employer cannot or will not release them during normal school holidays. Head teachers can grant up to 10 days holiday absence from school for special reasons, and longer periods in exceptional circumstances.

Absenteeism: Yorkshire and the Humber

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of pupils in secondary education in each local authority in Yorkshire and the Humber was classed as persistent absentees in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The first year for which information is available on Persistent Absentees is 2005-06.
	The available information is given in the table, and was published as part of the Statistical First Release: Pupil Absence in Schools in England, including Pupil Characteristics, 2006/07 at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000775/index.shtml
	
		
			  Maintained secondary schools( 1,)( )( 2) : Rates of persistent absentees2005/06 and 2006/07 by local authority area within Yorkshire and the Humber 
			Percentage of persistent absentees( 3) 
			2005/06  2006/07  Percentage point change 
			   Yorkshire and the Humber 8.4 7.6 -0.8 
			 370 Barnsley 6.7 6.8 0.1 
			 380 Bradford 9.3 8.3 -1.0 
			 381 Calderdale 7.7 6.9 -0.8 
			 371 Doncaster 8.1 83 0.2 
			 811 East Riding of Yorkshire 6.6 6.3 -0.3 
			 810 Kingston Upon Hull, City of (4) 19.1 11.9 -7.2 
			 382 Kirklees 6.7 6.8 0.1 
			 383 Leeds 10.1 9.8 -0.3 
			 812 North East Lincolnshire 8.3 7.6 -0.7 
			 813 North Lincolnshire 6.1 6.4 0.3 
			 815 North Yorkshire 5.5 4.8 -0.7 
			 372 Rotherham 8.9 8.0 -0.9 
			 373 Sheffield 9.3 7.7 -1.6 
			 384 Wakefield 6.7 7.0 0.3 
			 816 York 6.2 6.5 0.3 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Excludes city technology colleges and academies. (3) Number of Persistent Absentees expressed as a percentage of the total number of enrolments. (4) For 2005/06 figures are as reported by schools. There are known quality issues with absence data provided by one school within this authority. A school level resubmission of absence data has been provided by the school but this has not updated the pupil level data upon which this analysis is based.  Source: School Census

Assessments: Lost Property

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many SAT examination papers were recorded as missing in 2007;
	(2)  how many GCSE examination papers were recorded as missing in 2007.

Jim Knight: A total of 2,282 key stage 2 and 3 test scripts were recorded as missing out of a total of some 9.6 million. Missing scripts are those scripts lost during the marking process (including the transfer of scripts between schools and markers).
	A total of 4,985 GCSE (including GNVQ) and A level scripts were recorded as missing as at results day in summer 2007. These figures are for English- based awarding bodies only. The total number of GCSE (including GNVQ) and A level scripts marked for the summer 2007 exam series was some 16 million. It is not possible to get a separate breakdown for GCSEs.
	The awarding bodies which offer GCSE and A level examinations are required by the regulator to have arrangements in place to ensure that candidates whose examination scripts are lost are not disadvantaged.

Children: Day Care

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of children aged  (a) three and  (b) four years were in daycare settings for more than 12.5 hours a week in (i) Basingstoke constituency, (ii) Hampshire and (iii) England in each year for which records are available;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of children under the age of three years were attending daycare settings in  (a) Basingstoke constituency,  (b) Hampshire and  (c) England in each year for which records are available.

Beverley Hughes: The 2004 Parents Childcare Survey estimated that 35 per cent. of 0-2 year olds and 86 per cent. of 3-4 year olds had used some formal child care in the week before the survey. The following table shows what proportion of children in these age groups had used different types of formal provision.
	
		
			  Table 1: Use of formal child care in the last week by age of child, 2004 
			   0-2  per cent.  3-4  per cent. 
			 Early years provision and formal child care 35 86 
			 Nursery school 2 10 
			 Nursery class 1 22 
			 Reception class 0 28 
			 Day nursery 18 12 
			 Playgroup or pre-school 9 18 
			 Childminder 5 5 
			 Nanny or au pair 1 2 
			 Babysitter 3 2 
			 Out-of-school club on-site 0.5 2 
			 Out-of-school club off-site 0.5 1 
			  Notes: The percentages for the different types of formal provision do not sum to the total Early years provision and formal child care figure as a child may attend more than one type of provision. Comparable data are not available for previous years due to changes in the definitions of the different types of formal provision. Data are not available at a local authority level. Data on 3 and 4 years olds attending daycare settings for more than 12.5 hours a week are not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Children: Dyslexia

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in  (a) England,  (b) the North East,  (c) Tees Valley district and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency have been assessed to be dyslexic.

Kevin Brennan: The available information has been placed in the House Library.
	Information is collected from schools on pupils who are supported at School Action Plus and those pupils with statements of special educational needs (SEN) about their main or primary need and, if appropriate, their secondary need.
	Information on the number of pupils with dyslexia alone is not collected centrally. Figures relating to pupils with specific learning difficulties have been provided. Pupils with specific learning difficulties have a particular difficulty in learning to read, write, spell or manipulate numbers and this includes pupils with dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia.
	Tables showing the number of pupils by type of SEN in each local authority area have been placed in the Library. This information has not been analysed below local authority level. It is important that anyone using the data should understand the limitations of the data's reliability and validity. There are a range of factors which may affect the data recorded, including: local interpretation of definitions; classification of children with multiple needs; statistics being based on school and local authority identification of need rather than a diagnosis by medical or psychological staff; and the availability of special school provision in authorities.

Children: Finance

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department spent in developing its Childrens Plan.

Beverley Hughes: The total cost of developing the Childrens Plan was £1,309,956.
	In developing the plan, the Department ran a consultation which had two strands; a national consultation survey and five deliberative events. We used a range of media to encourage people to express their views about childrens services. Over 3,000 responses were received.
	In addition, three expert groups (ages 0-7, 8-13, and 14-19) were remitted to look at services and policies affecting children, young people and families. Their reports informed the development of The Childrens Plan.
	The Childrens Plan was published on 11 December 2007.

Cycling

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of staff in his Department received an interest-free, advance of salary loan to purchase a bicycle in each year for which records are available.

Kevin Brennan: The following table sets out numbers and proportions of interest-free salary advances for bicycle purchase over the past five years:
	
		
			  Department/Year  Number of advances  Number of staff (headcount)  Percentage  of staff receiving advance 
			  DCSF
			 July 2007 to date 5 2,731 0.18 
			 
			  DfES
			 July 2006 to June 2007 1 3,460 0.03 
			 July 2005 to June 2006 1 3,768 0.03 
			 July 2004 to June 2005 4 4,132 0.10 
			 July 2003 to June 2004 8 4,684 0.17 
		
	
	It should be noted that the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) was formed as part of the Machinery of Government changes on 28 June 2007. The earlier figures refer to the predecessor Department for Education and Skills (DfES) although the two Departments are not directly comparable due to staff changes, in particular over 500 staff moved from DfES to the new Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).

Departmental Energy

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department has taken to reduce its energy consumption in the past 12 months; and what his Department's expenditure on energy was in  (a) the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available and  (b) the immediately preceding 12 months.

Kevin Brennan: Since its creation in July 2007, the Department has taken the following steps to reduce energy consumption in its headquarters buildings:
	Launched an internal communications campaign to raise awareness of sustainability issues, highlight successes and initiate activities leading to a more careful use of resources;
	Incorporated advice from the Carbon Trust into a sustainable operations management system with action plans in place for each of our sites;
	Commissioned external specialist help to investigate options for greater carbon and fiscal savings and these are currently being integrated into the Department's action plans;
	Used data for benchmarking and trend analysis from an extended utility bureau contract to provide useful planning and reporting information on our energy use.
	The most recent two years of published expenditure data on energy relates to my Departments predecessor the Department for Education and Skills and is reported as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			  (a) 2005-06 1,636,735 
			  (b) 2006-07 2,080,895

Departmental Official Hospitality

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many receptions he has hosted and funded in his capacity as Secretary of State in the last 12 months; which individuals and organisations  (a) were invited to and  (b) attended each reception; and what the cost was of each reception.

Kevin Brennan: The Department for Children, Schools and Families will publish in due course, an annual list providing information relating to official receptions hosted by the Ministers in the Department during the course of the previous financial year.

Departmental Orders and Regulations

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many statutory instruments have been  (a) made and  (b) revoked by Ministers in his Department and its predecessor since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: 101 statutory instruments, general and local, have been made by Ministers of the Department for Children, Schools and Families since its establishment on 28 June 2007. Its predecessor Departments were the Department for Education and Employment up to 10 June 2001 and the Department for Education and Skills from 11 June 2001 to 27 June 2007. 700 statutory instruments, general and local, were made by Ministers of the Department for Education and Employment from 1 January 1997 to 10 June 2001. 924 statutory instruments, general and local, were made by Ministers of the Department for Education and Skills from 11 June 2001 to 27 June 2007.
	Numbers of statutory instruments revoked could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Translation Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was spent by his Department on translation and interpretation services in 2007-08, broken down by language.

Kevin Brennan: Details of expenditure on translation and interpretation services incurred by the Department in 2007-08 are as follows:
	2007-08: £5,497.26
	The figure relates to actual translation and interpretation work as recorded on the Departments integrated financial information system. The figure excludes publishing costs, on-line or off-line, associated with the translated material. The costs incurred for translation and interpretation are recorded under a general heading of Translation Fees. To extract the specific financial data with regard to language would involve disproportionate cost.
	The Department for Children, Schools and Families was created on 28 June 2007 as a result of a Machinery of Government change and the expenditure recorded above includes that of its predecessor department, the Department for Education and Skills.

Education: Olympic Games 2012

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what contribution his Department is making towards ensuring the 2012 Olympic Games delivers a lasting educational legacy; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department is working with an extensive range of external partners including the Government Olympic Executive, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills to ensure that the education benefits of the games are maximised.
	We are developing detailed plans for a 2012 Education Programme of opportunities linked to the games which will support key policies and priorities, and in particular the five Every Child Matters outcomes and our commitments set out in the Childrens Plan. This programme will be launched in September 2008 and will run through to 2012, with projects coming on stream at different times as part of a strategy to maintain interest in the games over the four years up to 2012.
	The involvement of educational institutions in the programme will be voluntary and the design of the programme is on the basis that opportunities for young people and institutions will be offered in a coherent way that supports and can be delivered alongside their existing work.
	We anticipate that much of the activity will not be centrally driven but rather be planned and implemented locally within individual schools and communities and we are working with the nine English regions, through the 2012 Nations and Regions Group, to capture and share the large number of grass roots activities which we expect to take place in individual schools.

Olympic Games: China

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people from the Youth Sport Trust will attend the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in whole or in part; and at what cost.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 15 May 2008
	 The Department funds the Youth Sport Trust to help manage and deliver the PE and Sport Strategy for Young People, as well as programmes to raise standards through sport. This funding would not support any international visits. Subject to that condition, attendance at the Beijing Olympic Games is a matter for the Youth Sport Trust to consider.

Outdoor Education: Greater London

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department is taking to encourage out-of-classroom learning in London; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Under the New Views programme run by Field Studies Council (FSC), the Department has provided subsidised residential learning outside the classroom experiences for over 120,000 key stage 3 pupils from London secondary schools.
	Last year the Department funded the FSC to support the provision of residential courses for 6,000 key stage 3 pupils from 100 London schools, and to deliver training for teachers to develop effective integration of the residential experience into schools. The FSC have recently developed and trialled a suite of Curriculum Adventure courses targeted at disadvantaged students in underperforming London, Black Country and Manchester schools. The courses focused content on the Mathematics, English and science curricula using the outdoor environment and adventure activities as a stimulus and context for learning.
	More widely to support schools to deliver high-quality learning outside the classroom the Department is producing a comprehensive set of How to guidance to help with planning; funding, running and publicising learning outside the classroom. A series of continuing professional development modules will underpin this guidance.

Politics: Education

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will issue guidance to  (a) local education authorities,  (b) governing bodies and  (c) head teachers on the balanced presentation of political issues in the classroom in relation to the distribution in schools of the European Commission's booklets (i) Passport to the European Union and (ii) The EU: What's in it for me; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: This Department has not issued any guidance in relation to these two publications. Sections 406 and 407 of the Education Act 1996 set out the duty of teachers to secure balanced treatment of political issues. The Department does not endorse specific resources and it is for teachers to use their professional judgment in determining which materials to use in the classroom.

Pre-School Education

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to extend the free nursery entitlement for three and four-year-olds.

Beverley Hughes: By 2010 all three and four-year-olds will be eligible to receive 15 more flexible hours of early years provision, compared to the existing 12 hours.
	20 Pathfinder local authorities are already delivering the extended entitlement and we have pledged to extend that progressively between now and 2010.
	The extension to the free entitlement will offer considerable benefits both to the three and four-year-olds who will receive additional high quality early education and to the families who will benefit from the increased flexibility in balancing to both their work and family life.

Pre-School Education: Finance

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 1 May 2008,  Official Report, column 690W, on pre-school education: finance, if he will monitor changes in costs experienced by private, voluntary and independent nurseries.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 13 May 2008
	As we said in our response on 1 May, the cost analysis of private, voluntary and independent nurseries is being undertaken by local authorities and will be used to inform local funding decisions. The analyses are not collected centrally. My officials will continue to work with key stakeholders, including provider representatives, to monitor all aspects of the delivery of the free entitlement to early years care for three and four-year-olds.

Pupil Exclusions

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children were permanently excluded from schools in  (a) England,  (b) London,  (c) the North East,  (d) Tees Valley district and  (e) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The requested information relating to permanent exclusions is shown in the following tables.
	Information on fixed period exclusions is available from 2003-04 but can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information on exclusions for the academic year 2006-07 is expected to be available in June 2008.
	
		
			  Maintained primary, secondary and all special schools( 1,2) : number and percentage of permanently excluded pupils, 1997-98 to 2005-06 
			   1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01( 3)  2001-02( 3) 
			   No.  %( 4)  No.  %( 4)  No.  %( 4)  No.  %( 4)  No.  %( 4) 
			 England(5) 12,300 0.16 10,440 0.14 8,320 0.11 9,140 0.12 9,540 0.12 
			 London Government office region(5) 2,030 0.20 1,780 0.17 1,290 0.12 1,450 0.14 1,460 0.14 
			 North East Government office region(5) 680 0.16 560 0.13 480 0.11 470 0.11 490 0.12 
			 Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland parliamentary constituency 22 0.14 10 0.06 13 0.08 6 0.04 10 0.07 
		
	
	
		
			   2002-03( 3)  2003-04( 3)  2004-05( 3)  2005-06( 3) 
			   No.  %( 4)  No.  %( 4)  No.  %( 4)  No.  %( 4) 
			 England(5) 9,290 0.12 9,880 0.13 9,400 0.12 9,170 0.12 
			 London Government office region(5) 1,470 0.14 1,590 0.15 1,510 0.14 1,540 0.15 
			 North East Government office region(5) 500 0.12 460 0.11 460 0.12 420 0.11 
			 Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland parliamentary constituency 6 0.04 8 0.06 5 0.04 6 0.05 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. (3) The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of pupils, excluding dually registered pupils. (4) Figures are as confirmed by local authorities in the data checking exercise. Figures at parliamentary constituency level are based on data as reported by schools. (5) Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: School Census 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained primary, secondary and all special schools( 1,2) : number and percentage of permanently excluded pupils, Tees Valley, 1997-98 to 2005-06 
			1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01( 3)  2001-02(  3) 
			No.  %  No.  %  No.  %  No.  %  No.  % 
			  Tees Valley 164 0.14 111 0.09 109 0.09 96 0.08 108 0.09 
			 
			 841 Darlington 29 0.19 26 0.17 27 0.17 23 0.15 7 0.04 
			 805 Hartlepool 34 0.20 17 0.10 15 0.09 22 0.13 32 0.19 
			 806 Middlesbrough 23 009 17 0.07 3 0.01 7 0.03 13 0.05 
			 807 Redcar and Cleveland 35 0.13 26 0.10 37 0.14 29 0.11 33 0 13 
			 808 Stockton-on-Tees 43 0.13 25 0.07 27 0.08 15 0.05 23 0.07 
		
	
	
		
			2002-03( 3)  2003-04( 3)  2004-05( 3)  2005-06( 3) 
			No.  %  No.  %  No.  %  No.  % 
			  Tees Valley 113 0.10 135 0.12 120 0.11 125 0.12 
			   
			 841 Darlington 9 0.06 22 0.14 34 0.22 44 0.29 
			 805 Hartlepool 40 024 44 0.27 22 0 14 22 0.14 
			 806 Middlesbrough 9 0.04 18 0.09 19 0.09 20 0.10 
			 807 Redcar and Cleveland 32 0.13 33 0.13 24 0.10 20 0.09 
			 808 Stockton-on-Tees 23 0.07 18 0.06 21 0.07 19 0.06 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes maintained arid non-maintained special schools. (3) Figures are as confirmed by local authorities via the data checking exercise. (4) The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of pupils, excluding dually registered pupils.  Source: School Census

Pupils: Absenteeism

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many cases of unauthorised absence by pupils for 10 consecutive school days or more there were in each local authority area in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The requested information is not collected centrally.

Schools: Carbon Emissions

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he plans to take to ensure that all new school buildings are zero-carbon by 2016.

Kevin Brennan: We announced in December 2007 an ambition for all new school buildings to be zero carbon by 2016. A taskforce has been appointed to advise on how to achieve this ambition. The taskforce will develop a roadmap to zero carbon, setting targets and milestones to 2016.
	We are taking action now while we work towards zero carbon by setting an immediate requirement for new school buildings to reduce carbon emissions by 60 per cent.

Schools: Health Education

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of primary schools in each London borough have achieved Healthy Schools status.

Jim Knight: The total proportion of London primary schools that have achieved National Healthy Schools Status is now 63 per cent. The following table gives a breakdown of schools achieving National Healthy Schools Status for each London borough as provided by each local programme.
	
		
			  National Healthy Schools Programme figures as at 13 May 2008 
			  Local authority  Total number of schools that have achieved National Healthy Schools Status  Total number of primary schools  Percentage of schools that have achieved National Healthy schools Status 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 26 36 72 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 30 40 75 
			 Harrow 14 39 36 
			 Barking and Dagenham 29 49 59 
			 Sutton 30 41 73 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 19 26 73 
			 Hounslow 32 61 52 
			 Westminster 19 40 48 
			 Havering 49 64 77 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 33 35 94 
			 Redbridge 19 54 35 
			 Hillingdon 33 65 51 
			 Islington 31 44 70 
			 Haringey 44 63 70 
			 Camden 33 41 80 
			 Brent 40 61 66 
			 Merton 26 43 60 
			 Waltham Forest 37 54 69 
			 Bexley 59 59 100 
			 Wandsworth 18 56 32 
			 Croydon 47 89 53 
			 Enfield 59 66 89 
			 Hackney 34 53 64 
			 Ealing 47 64 73 
			 Bromley 46 75 61 
			 Lambeth 38 53 72 
			 Newham 39 67 58 
			 Lewisham 41 71 58 
			 Tower Hamlets 44 69 64 
			 Greenwich 46 67 69 
			 Barnet 50 87 57 
			 Southwark 52 73 71 
			 Total for London 911 1,438 63

Schools: Sports

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what mechanisms he has put in place for the delivery of high quality sporting facilities for school and community use through the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Jim Knight: The Government are committed to improving the quality of PE and sport in all schools, using Building Schools for the Future (BSF) as a vehicle. In their BSF Strategy for Change submission, all local authorities must establish a PE and Sport stakeholder group. This group should have representation from Sport England, County Sports Partnerships, and school sports partnerships to raise the profile of sport within the programme and develop facilities within their area. In addition, Partnerships for Schools, Sport England and the Youth Sports Trust fund Sports Advisers to help develop community-use facilities. These Sports Advisers work with the local authority sports stakeholder groups to develop a vision, and support the stakeholder groups to work with schools to achieve it. These advisers also work with Sport England to ensure sports governing bodies can contribute to the developing BSF strategy. The Department also publishes a guide titled Inspirational Design for PE and Sport Spaces for all local authorities, to assist in developing their BSF Strategy for Change.

Schools: Sports

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on community use of school sporting facilities and VAT restrictions; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families has had no discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about community use of school sporting facilities and VAT restrictions.
	Officials in this Department and in the Treasury have had, and will continue to have discussions on this issue, as necessary.

Secure Accommodation

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to assess the effectiveness of secure children's homes.

Kevin Brennan: Secure children's homes are inspected by the Chief Inspector for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills against the children's homes regulations and the national minimum standards.
	It is the responsibility of local authorities, in making placement decisions for children whom they look after, to assess the suitability of placement and the extent to which they are capable of meeting the assessed needs of the individual child. Each child's progress should be monitored in the light of his or her care plan, and placements must be reviewed regularly to ensure that they continue to be suitable.
	The Department recently commissioned an independent report into the market for welfare beds in secure children's homes, i.e. for children placed under section 25 of the Children Act. This report is due to be published later this year and the Department will consider, taking account of its recommendations, whether further action should be taken with regard to secure children's homes.

Smoking

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many smoking shelters were built at each of his Department's London buildings in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The Department for Children, Schools and Families does not currently have or previously had any smoking shelters at its London headquarters buildings.

Special Educational Needs

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what legislation regulates the education of children with special educational needs; what changes have been made since its enactment; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The main body of the legislation regulating the education of children with special educational needs (SEN) is contained within Part IV of the Education Act 1996 and associated Regulations. That Act consolidated the Education Act 1993 which legislated in this area and which, in turn, followed the original SEN legislation contained in the Education Act 1981. The SEN Code of Practice gives statutory guidance to schools, local authorities and others in carrying out their duties for children with SEN.
	The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 amended the Education Act 1996 and also the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 by making the provision of education subject to that Act. The changes the 2001 Act made to Part IV of the Education Act 1996 in summary were: it strengthened the right of children with SEN to be educated in mainstream schools where that is what their parents want and the interests of other children can be protected; it required local education authorities to provide the parents of children with SEN advice and information and a means of resolving disputes; it required local education authorities to comply with SEN and disability tribunal orders within prescribed periods; and it required schools to inform parents where they are making special educational provision and allowed schools to request a statutory assessment of a pupil's SEN.

Supply Teachers: Finance

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was spent on supply teachers in each local authority area in Yorkshire and the Humber in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The available information on the gross expenditure by local authority maintained schools on supply teachers from 2002-03 to 2006-07 is contained within the following table:
	
		
			  Total gross expenditure by local authority maintained schools on supply teachers 
			  Local authority  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 England 846,053,000 833,390,000 820,780,000 886,783,000 872,039,000 
			   
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 87,654,000 89,194,000 89,440,000 94,015,000 90,854,000 
			 Barnsley 3,108,000 3,994,000 4,514,000 5,078,000 4,464,000 
			 Bradford 10,909,000 11,409,000 11,313,000 11,236,000 10,818,000 
			 Calderdale 3,865,000 4,055,000 3,861,000 4,022,000 4,071,000 
			 City of Kingston-upon-Hull 5,209,000 4,918,000 4,390,000 4,914,000 4,687,000 
			 Doncaster 5,053,000 5,016,000 5,246,000 5,378,000 5,123,000 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 5,610,000 4,636,000 4,672,000 5,007,000 4,603,000 
			 Kirklees 5,456,000 5,586,000 5,683,000 6,473,000 6,901,000 
			 Leeds 12,381,000 12,276,000 12,101,000 12,954,000 12,026,000 
			 North East Lincolnshire 3,105,000 2,923,000 2,862,000 2,688,000 2,992,000 
			 North Lincolnshire 2,580,000 2,709,000 2,549,000 2,865,000 2,471,000 
			 North Yorkshire 9,713,000 9,888,000 9,851,000 10,914,000 11,456,000 
			 Rotherham 5,705,000 6,298,000 5,938,000 5,110,000 5,003,000 
			 Sheffield 9,243,000 9,447,000 9,673,000 10,059,000 8,964,000 
			 Wakefield 3,338,000 3,622,000 4,223,000 4,369,000 4,737,000 
			 York 2,378,000 2,418,000 2,566,000 2,949,000 2,539,000

Teachers: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his latest estimate is of the average annual cost to the public purse of a teacher in a  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school in each local authority area; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The available information on the average expenditure by local authority maintained primary and secondary schools on directly employed teaching staff per teacher for 2006-07 is contained within the following table:
	
		
			  Local authority name  Primary school based expenditure on directly employed teaching staff (£ per teacher)  Secondary school based expenditure on directly employed teaching staff (£ per teacher) 
			 England 38,790 41,420 
			
			 Barking and Dagenham 45,300 47,850 
			 Barnet 40,550 44,430 
			 Barnsley 38,950 39,960 
			 Bath and NE Somerset 37,230 42,040 
			 Bedfordshire 36,730 41,680 
			 Bexley 40,540 45,110 
			 Birmingham 38,230 42,120 
			 Blackburn and Darwen 38,640 42,580 
			 Blackpool 37,030 40,740 
			 Bolton 39,200 41,420 
			 Bournemouth 37.390 41,070 
			 Bracknell Forest 36,790 39,910 
			 Bradford 39,690 42,690 
			 Brent 42,110 46,040 
			 Brighton and Hove 43,410 34,920 
			 Bromley 40,630 44,330 
			 Buckinghamshire 37,020 40,770 
			 Bury 39,440 41,740 
			 Calderdale 38,220 40,620 
			 Cambridgeshire 38,040 40,690 
			 Camden 45,370 49,490 
			 Cheshire 38,340 39,990 
			 City of Bristol 37,360 40,650 
			 City of Kingston-upon Hull 37,990 39,670 
			 City of London 41,230 n/a 
			 City of Nottingham 38,080 40,470 
			 City of Peterborough 37,550 43,970 
			 City of Plymouth 39,230 43,360 
			 Cornwall 37,740 39,490 
			 Coventry 38,820 41,990 
			 Croydon 41,360 44,190 
			 Cumbria 38,090 39,890 
			 Darlington 35,060 46,570 
			 Derby 38,710 39,720 
			 Derbyshire 38,630 40,990 
			 Devon 37,590 41,140 
			 Doncaster 37,690 42,300 
			 Dorset 41,220 41,140 
			 Dudley 38,350 40,660 
			 Durham 38,410 40,820 
			 Ealing 42,580 46,140 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 37,710 40,030 
			 East Sussex 37,500 40,360 
			 Enfield 40,890 43,160 
			 Essex 39,470 41,470 
			 Gateshead 37,710 44,660 
			 Gloucestershire 38,730 40,010 
			 Greenwich 42,750 44,160 
			 Hackney 42,330 50,630 
			 Halton 40,940 41,280 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 42,910 48,230 
			 Hampshire 37,750 40,320 
			 Haringey 44,160 45,890 
			 Harrow 40,710 45,580 
			 Hartlepool 38,590 40,710 
			 Havering 41,980 42,880 
			 Herefordshire 37,950 39,620 
			 Hertfordshire 36,970 40,140 
			 Hillingdon 39,350 43,990 
			 Hounslow 38,080 41,740 
			 Isle of Wight 36,690 39,180 
			 Isles of Scilly 43,350 n/a 
			 Islington 42,890 48,020 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 41,660 47,950 
			 Kent 37,070 40,160 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 40,390 45,470 
			 Kirklees 38,750 40,250 
			 Knowsley 38,380 41,670 
			 Lambeth 43,800 49,490 
			 Lancashire 38,880 41,520 
			 Leeds 38,550 40,140 
			 Leicester City 37,220 40,240 
			 Leicestershire 37,690 40,670 
			 Lewisham 46,180 52.100 
			 Lincolnshire 36,860 41,360 
			 Liverpool 40,030 41,820 
			 Luton 35,420 42,500 
			 Manchester 38,520 40,380 
			 Medway 37,240 41,940 
			 Merton 41,400 47,190 
			 Middlesbrough 39,100 42,150 
			 Milton Keynes 38,100 38,790 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 38,570 41,270 
			 Newham 41,800 48,120 
			 Norfolk 38,720 40,560 
			 North East Lincolnshire 38,070 40,170 
			 North Lincolnshire 39,030 39,640 
			 North Somerset 37,680 39,230 
			 North Tyneside 38,510 40,390 
			 North Yorkshire 38,600 40,370 
			 Northamptonshire 36,820 41,080 
			 Northumberland 38,710 40,240 
			 Nottinghamshire 38,810 41,250 
			 Oldham 38,180 39,500 
			 Oxfordshire 36,630 39,570 
			 Poole 38,580 40,060 
			 Portsmouth 37,220 39,130 
			 Reading 36,440 43,940 
			 Redbridge 40,610 43,800 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 39,310 40,880 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 42,790 47,820 
			 Rochdale 38,770 39,970 
			 Rotherham 40,450 41,680 
			 Rutland 38,110 44,170 
			 Salford 37,530 37,740 
			 Sandwell 38,160 41,550 
			 Sefton 39,520 42,450 
			 Sheffield 37,520 40,930 
			 Shropshire 39,170 41,120 
			 Slough 37,270 41,290 
			 Solihull 37,800 43,530 
			 Somerset 39,220 39,970 
			 South Gloucestershire 36,740 40,260 
			 South Tyneside 41,470 42,350 
			 Southampton 36,360 40,500 
			 Southend 36,990 38,650 
			 Southwark 44,360 47,620 
			 St Helens 39,740 41,270 
			 Staffordshire 38,270 40,720 
			 Stockport 38,730 40,590 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 38,200 41,210 
			 Stoke 37,800 38,620 
			 Suffolk 38,210 41,070 
			 Sunderland 38,480 41,610 
			 Surrey 38,800 42,070 
			 Sutton 40,300 44,800 
			 Swindon 36,970 39,830 
			 Tameside 39,530 41,750 
			 Telford and Wrekin 39,550 41,250 
			 Thurrock 37,920 39,020 
			 Torbay 39,120 40,380 
			 Tower Hamlets 41,820 46,970 
			 Trafford 38,170 39,460 
			 Wakefield 38,310 38,990 
			 Walsall 38,620 40,430 
			 Waltham Forest 40,070 42,010 
			 Wandsworth 41,790 45,990 
			 Warrington 37,070 39,430 
			 Warwickshire 38,240 40,770 
			 West Berkshire 39,620 36,310 
			 West Sussex 37,420 40,890 
			 Westminster 41,970 48,280 
			 Wigan 40,460 40,480 
			 Wiltshire 37,430 39,970 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 36,160 40,830 
			 Wirral 39,640 42,090 
			 Wokingham 37,350 40,150 
			 Wolverhampton 38,930 40,420 
			 Worcestershire 37,700 40,110 
			 York 37,810 40,680 
			 n/a = not available.

Teachers: Pay

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the percentage increase in the cost of teachers' pay was in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006 and  (c) 2007; what estimate he has made of the percentage increase in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009 and (iii) 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The estimated percentage increases in the costs of teachers' pay are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Teacher PaybillEngland only 
			   Percentage increase on previous year 
			 2005-06 6.1 
			 2006-07 2.9 
			 2007-08 2.0 
			 2008-09 2.7 
			 2009-10 2.5 
			 2010-11 2.3 
			  Notes:  1 The Paybill figures include Superannuation and National Insurance costs and the pay awards given for each year. Figures were adjusted to reflect actual teacher numbers up to 2007-8. Teacher numbers for 2008-9 onwards have been assumed to be constant at 2007-8 levels.  2. Figures for 2008-9 onwards are based on recommendations in STRB 17th report for headline award and London enhancements.  3. For modelling purposes the Paybill figures employed up to 2006-07 financial year were taken from the previous year Paybill estimations.  4. From 2006-07 onwards, pay settlements are awarded on an academic year basis. Financial year costs are calculated as 7/12 of the current academic year costs plus 5/12 of the preceding academic year costs.  5. Figures show increase in overall Paybill and not changes in Paybill per teacher. 
		
	
	Teachers' pay increases are based on recommendations by the independent School Teachers' Review Body (STRB). The aforementioned figures assume implementation of the recommendations in the most recent STRB report, which for September 2008 are subject to statutory consultation, and for September 2009 and 2010 include indicative pay awards.

Teachers: Pay

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the  (a) nominal and  (b) real growth in the teacher paybill per teacher was in each year since 1997; what estimate he has made of the (i) nominal and (ii) real growth in the paybill per teacher in each year to 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The estimated percentage increases in teacher paybill costs per head are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Estimated teacher paybill per head England only 
			   Paybill per head (percentage increase) 
			   Cash  Real 
			 1998-99 3.3 0.7 
			 1999-2000 4.1 2.1 
			 2000-01 6.0 4.5 
			 2001-02 5.6 3.1 
			 2002-03 5.0 1.8 
			 2003-04 10.2 7.1 
			 2004-05 3.6 0.8 
			 2005-06 5.0 2.8 
			 2006-07 2.3 -0.4 
			 2007-08 1.9 -1.3 
			 2008-09 2.7 -0.3 
			 2009-10 2.5 -0.2 
			 2010-11 2.3 -0.4 
			  Notes:  1 There is a break in the time-series in year 2005-06 The break relates to a change in the modelling methodology for supply teachers costs.  2 The paybill figures include Superannuation and National Insurance costs and the pay awards given for each year. Figures were adjusted to reflect actual teacher numbers up to 2007-8. Teacher numbers for 2008-9 onwards have been assumed to be constant at 2007-8 levels. 3 Figures for 2008-9 onwards are based on recommendations in 17th STRB report for headline award and London Enhancements.  4 Real terms figures calculated in 2006-7 prices using 28 March 2008 GDP Deflators. From 2006-07 onwards, pay settlements are awarded on an academic year basis. Financial year costs are calculated as 7/12 of the current academic year costs plus 5/12 of the preceding academic year costs.

Teachers: Redundancy

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much each local authority spent on  (a) teacher and  (b) support staff redundancies in each year from 1997 to 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: This information is not collected centrally by the Department.

Teachers: Training

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many officials in his Department are working on the development of the Masters level teaching qualification; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when courses leading to the Masters level teaching qualification will be provided; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: A number of officials in the Department are working, with colleagues at the Training and Development Agency for Schools, on the development of Masters in Teaching and Learning (MTL), as one part of their responsibilities. They will commence consultation with schools and higher education institutions on the content of the new qualification in the near future. We expect the first teachers to start the MTL in September 2009.

Teachers: Training

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of candidates failed initial teacher training in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Information about failure to complete Initial Teacher Training (ITT) courses is only available for trainees in their final year of training. The following tables show, for academic years for which data are available, the number of final year Initial Teacher Training (ITT) trainees who did not gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in their final year of training, and of these the numbers and percentages who left their course before completion and where the outcome of QTS is unknown for:
	1. Mainstream Initial Teacher Training (ITT) trainees
	2. Employment Based ITT (EBITT) trainees
	
		
			  1. Mainstream final year ITT trainees 
			 Number of mainstream final year trainees who have not gained QTS  Percentage of mainstream final year trainees who have not gained QTS 
			   Total number of mainstream trainees in their final year  Number of mainstream final year trainees gaining QT S  Known not to have completed course  Undefined outcome  Other outcome  Total  Known not to have completed course  Total 
			 1998/99 27,200 24,070 1,310 460 1,350 3,130 5 11 
			 1999/2000 24,650 21,690 1,290 350 1,330 2,960 5 12 
			 2000/01 25,720 22,640 1,350 480 1,250 3,080 5 12 
			 2001/02 26,350 23,280 1,130 0 1,940 3,070 4 12 
			 2002/03 28,570 25,430 1,050 10 2,090 3,140 4 11 
			 2003/04 30,970 27,340 1,470 0 2,160 3,630 5 12 
			 2004/05 31,360 27,150 1,410 20 2,780 4,210 5 13 
			 2005/06 31,220 27,040 1,310 10 2,900 4,210 4 13 
			  Notes: 1. Includes trainees from Universities and other Higher Education (HE) institutions, School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) and Open Universities (OU), but exclude EBITT. 2. Numbers are individually rounded to the nearest 10, therefore may not sum. 3. Other outcome includes final year trainees who are yet to complete their course, those with withheld QTS (including those where their skills test was not met, their standards were not met and where both their standards and skills test were not met) and those where the skill test has not been taken (include those whose standards were met and those whose standards were not met)  Source: TDA performance profiles 
		
	
	
		
			  2. Employment Based ITT (EBITT) trainees 
			 Number of EBITT final year trainees who have not gained QTS  Percentage of EBITT final year trainees who have not gained QTS 
			   Total number of EBITT trainees in their final year  Number of EBITT final year trainees gaining QTS  Known not to have completed course  Undefined outcome  Other outcome  Total  Known not to have completed course  Total 
			 2001/02 2,440 2,210 30 0 190 230 1 9 
			 2002/03 4,030 3,670 340 0 20 360 8 9 
			 2003/04 4,950 4,470 440 0 30 470 9 10 
			 2004/05 7,220 6,600 260 0 350 610 4 8 
			 2005/06 6,970 6,090 420 0 450 870 6 13 
			  Notes: 1. Includes trainees through EBITT only. 2. Numbers are individually rounded to the nearest 10, therefore may not sum. 3. Other outcome includes final year trainees who are yet to complete their course, those with withheld QTS (including those where their skills test was not met, their standards were not met and where both their standards and skills test were not met) and those where the skill test has not been taken (include those whose standards were met and those whose standards were not met)  Source: TDA performance profiles